Double Blessing


Hey all.

Ever get doubly blessed?  Ever get a real double dose of God's blessing?  Sadly for some of us, it is tough to remember getting one real blessing in our life, let alone two of them at the same time.  But sometimes the Lord shows up in a big way and pours us a "double" shot of blessing.  HE fills the cup up to the top!  Have you ever been there?  Can you recall when you just had this amazing sense of being blessed?  Like a double blessing! It is pretty awesome to say the least isn't it? 

I was doubly blessed recently with the birth of my first two grandchildren.....twin boys!  A double blessing in an amazing way!!  I am blown away how much love you can feel and how blessed you feel!  It is so humbling and special.

But check this out.....I was thinking about what should we do in the moment when these obvious blessings are poured out in our life?

We should be grateful and thankful when something is such a great blessing, like two healthy little boys and a healthy mommy.  But, I don't ever want to miss the fact that God gives us blessings every single day as well.  Every day of our life, we are blessed.  The Lord's blessings to us our "new every morning" (Lamentations 3:23).  Let's not forget the daily blessings we receive every morning.  The blessing of HIS love and HIS grace.  I don't want to only feel blessed by the Lord when something really big happens.....I want to acknowledge and feel it everyday. 

But sometimes.......it comes in a big double dose which is pretty cool!!

S&H,

-S

 

Neutral



Hey all,

Been awhile hasn't it?  I know.  Anyway....I'm back.

In today's world, doesn't it seem that there is no neutral.  Not in anything.  Here is what I mean by that. 

In the world we live in today, it feels like a person cannot be neutral on anything.  It feels like the world requires us to take a position on everything............especially in the world of social media.  You are either for it, or you are against it.  In fact, if you take a position of neutral, meaning that you don't want to take a position or don't want to give an opinion, or don't respond........then we can believe that we are in fact viewed as taking a position. You know what I mean?  Why do we feel that there does not seem to be a place of neutral in our world today?  Anywhere.  Neutral used to be the safe place, having no opinion was ok...........but not anymore. Everything MUST be accepted as ok or wrong.  And then you are in a seemingly "no win" situation.  You cannot win either way. 

What happened to just being silent?  No opinion?  Being neutral?

I think we are missing something.

Check this out..............if an issue of significance comes up and you take a position of neutral, then we feel like we lose in the worlds view.  It really it is no win situation....especially for our children who constantly live in this world of social media.  It is a tough world to live in for all of us, but our kids face it every day.

So what do we do?  What do we tell them (and ourselves as adults)?

Check this out..........I think we have the definition of "neutral" wrong. 

We have to remind ourselves that neutral doesn't mean we don't have an opinion.  It only means that we are choosing to not engage in the issue.  We have to realize that we have a choice to engage or not.  We have to remind ourselves of our core values.  We have to believe in what we believe.  This has been lost in our world today.  You see, we have to remind ourselves that we are not automatically pulled into every issue that is thrown out in our world today.  We actually have a choice to engage or not.  It really is a choice.......it really is.  Why do we feel that we have to respond?  In fact, by responding, we are placing ourselves in a no-win situation.  So why do that?  Again, we have a choice.

The truth is that what is pulling us into these things it is nothing more than social peer pressure, which I acknowledge is real, but it is still the core reason we feel the need to engage.  We have to fall back on our values, our morals, and our faith.  We need to stand firm in our beliefs and not allow ourselves to compromise those by being drawn into these issues.  Most often, no response is the best response.  If that appears neutral, then so be it. 

Neutral is not a position of weakness, it actually a position of strength.  It is a demonstration of our core beliefs.  It is demonstration of being stronger than the issues of the world.  It is demonstrating that we will not be drawn into things that don't believe in.

It is demonstrating who we are.........not who we are not. 

Think about that.

S&H,

-S

 

Reverence

Hey all,

The world needs some reverence right now.  It really does.  Unfortunately, most of us don't use this word enough to even understand the meaning, let alone demonstrate it in our lives.

Check this out.

The simple definition for reverence is...... "to have deep respect for someone or something".

As children, we were taught to show respect for our elders.  We were taught to have reverence for the things in our lives that deserved it.  We were shown to show reverence (deep respect) for things like our parents, our family, our school, our country, our flag, and if we were raised as Christians.....our God.  We would stand and say the Pledge of Allegiance" each day as a demonstration of reverence for our country and the flag that represents it.  We were taught to say "yes sir and no sir" as a sign of reverence.  We had "deep respect" for our friends and family.  It was the right way to be and we knew it.   

But somewhere along the way.......many have lost their way. The world has lost it's reverence.  Things that have forever been held with "deep respect" are now dismissed as quickly as turning the channel on the TV.  It's sad and alarming.  The reverence in our country for those things that are really important may be at an all time low.  It can really be discouraging. 

But let's look to our faith to be reminded of the importance of reverence and it conquers all.  There is hope.  We still have a place for reverence.

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe,"   Hebrews 12:28

We can be grateful that our real kingdom cannot be shaken.  It is solid.  It is a rock.  It is not affected by the way's of the world.  When the world seems lacking in any reverence or respect for the things that we know deserve it, then our response should be the same.  We are called to offer God our worship with reverence and awe in thankfulness for HIS kingdom and HIS grace.  Our reverence of God will always hold true and will carry us through.  When we first honor Him, it gives us the confidence and courage to demonstrate reverence in this world that desperately needs to see it.  HE is honored when we show reverence to others and treat them like HE wants us to treat others, which is with love and.......with deep respect.

That's what I am going to do.

S&H,

-S  
 

Stand

Hey all,

There comes a time in our live when it is time to "Stand" up.  The world we live in today is full of people that are sitting on the sidelines and watching the game......sitting on their "butt's" and passing the time watching what is going on in the world.  They give their opinions on everything that is going on but are completely unwilling to "stand" up and get in the game.  They just sit there watching life take place and are the victims of everything that happens.  Helpless and hopeless.

I don't want to be one of those people. 

There is a verse in the Bible (Jeremiah 6:16) that speaks to this and calls us to do something about it.

"This is what the LORD says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it."

It say's "Stand" at the crossroads. Stand. Meaning......we have to get up. Get off our butt and stand up.  We are not supposed to just sit and be a spectator.

Once we are up, then it says to ask where the good way is.  Ask where the ancients paths are which means the right ways.  We should seek counsel from those that know the way.  We should ask what way we should go.  The roads of life have been traveled before and we can ask where the good way's are.  We need to get advice from those that know the good way.

And then we are called to walk.  We have to take a step and move forward.  We are to walk.  Life is about moving.... not sitting still.  We have to be willing to take a step in faith.

But in the verse it says........."you will not walk in it".  That is the problem.  Too many of us are not walking in it.  We won't stand up and we won't take the stap.  We just sit there.....watching and waiting......and completely missing the life we are given to live.  Victims. 

Like I said....I don't want to be one of those people.

I want to walk. I want to experience life.  I want to be a part of something, not an observer.  I want to play my role.  Life is to be lived...not watched.  I choose to walk.  I choose to live.

And find rest for my soul.

S&H,

-S
 

Intentional Living

Hey all,

Have you ever thought about how fast life goes?    Think about it.....life really does move pretty fast doesn't it?  How many times have you said to  yourself..."where did the time go?".  Or...."I cannot believe how much time has passed since....(fill in the blank)".   The truth is that life moves on whether we participate or not.  Most of us believe that time is not our friend when it comes to this life we live.  But time can be our friend.  Time can be an opportunity.  Time can be taken advantage of instead of constantly being a source of frustration because we don't seem to ever have enough of it.

But check this out.

To really "live" and experience life as we know it.....I believe that we must be more intentional.  If we are not intentional about how we are going to live our lives, then it will just happen and we will be nothing more than a spectator.  Life goes way too fast for us to expect that it will just play out the way that we want.  It goes way too fast for us to just "ride along.  It goes way too fast for us to think that by being a spectator....we will experience the abundant life that Jesus speaks of.  We cannot be spectators. We have to actually participate.  We have to stop and look around once in awhile.  But more importantly, we have to have a plan and a purpose that is driving our life.......not time.  We have to know where we want to go so that we are actually "doing" things that are in alignment with that destination.  Time should not dictate where we are going.  Is what you are doing everyday really getting you towards what the Lord has placed on your heart?  Really......is it?  If not, then don't we owe it to ourselves to take a hard look inward to ask why not?  Is time pushing us or are we using it?  I don't care who you are, that happens to all of us at one point in our lives. 

So what then?

I believe it starts with understanding that we are in control more than we think we are.  I truly believe it comes down to one thing. 

Being intentional. 

We MUST be intentional. Intentional about our time.  Intentional about what we do.  Intentional about who we do it with.  Intentional about why we are doing it.  Intentional about our values.  Intentional about identifying what brings us a feeling of more life.  Intentional about writing those things out so that they can become real.  Intentional about giving yourself permission to pursue those values and desires.  Then......being courageous enough to pursue it. 

We MUST be intentional.......or life just happens and we get what we get.  

Life really does move pretty fast doesn't it?  The question is......are we experiencing it intentionally or is it just happening?

Strength and Honor,

-S

Be Open

Hey all,

The  next "Be" in our countdown is to to "Be Open".

It's pretty simple........the question is.........are you "open" to something new?  Are you open to being transformed?  Are you open to letting the Holy Spirit transform and renew you?  Are you open to more life?

Romans 12:2 says...

" ² Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.^"

Are you open to be being transformed?  Are you open to being renewed? 

If the answer is "yes", then you must be open to hear HIS voice.  You must be open to hear God's word and to act on it.  You must be willing to hear HIS voice and discern what is HIS will.  You must be willing to step out of your comfort zone and into what HE say's will be acceptable and perfect. You must be open to moving forward. 

If not, then you will not be transformed.  You won't be renewed.  It will not be acceptable and perfect as HE wants it to be........

........as you want it to be.

It's that simple.

S&H,

-S

 

Be Available

Hey all,

The next "Be" in our countdown is to "Be Available".

Do you make yourself available to God? 

No, really,......do you make yourself available for Him? 

If we are truthful with ourselves, then the answer is probably........no.  At least not very often anyway.  Let's face it, most days. we get busy in our lives and we ending up giving God our leftover time if we have any.  We just don't seem to have time to show up and make ourselves available to Him on a regular basis.  Instead, we try and fit Him in.  It's not because we don't want to include Him, but we just can't seem to find the the time. 

And so goes life.

But check this out.

How can we be available for virtually everything else in our life but not for God?  We are available for work everyday.  We are available for our kids everyday.  We are available for our social commitments everyday.  We are available for our friends and family everyday.  We are available for our online friends on Facebook and Instagram.  Our status is always "available".  But yet, we cannot seem to make ourselves available to the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings at least somewhere in our day or week?

Man....that seems off doesn't it?

We cannot experience the life we want here on earth if we don't make ourselves available to the things mentioned above.  Those parts of our life are important and they are not the problem.  We have to be available for them.  What would life be if we didn't make ourself available to experience and engage in those things in our life?  It would be a lonely and lifeless journey to say the least wouldn't it? 

But here is the thing.....we are missing the most important aspect of our life when we don't make the effort to make ourself available to Him as well.  HE created the life we are experiencing and is there for us to make it the life HE designed and wrote for us.  When we don't show up for Him, we are leaving out the most important part.  We have to remember that HE literally died to be part of our life.

But we have to make ourself available to Him. HE will not chase us down.  We must go to Him.  We must make give Him some of our time.  We must go online in our spirit and mark ourself "available".

And HE will always be there.  HE is never offline.  HIS status is always "available"........

Waiting on us to show up.

S&H,

-S