Overthinking

    Do you lie awake at night thinking about things?  I know I do.  I just can't seem to shut my brain off and go to sleep.  I don't think about one thing and move on to the next, but instead I get caught in a repetitive loop. I think about things I plan to do the next day or how I want to approach something.  I often think of Howard Hughes in his obsessive repetitive thoughts and going crazy.  Now I'm thinking about overthinking.. aghhh.
    What are you thinking about?  Phillipians 4;8  ''Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.''  Thinking about what might have been, if?....it's a waste of time.  We are to learn from the past, be and live in the present and prepare for the future.
    Overthinking is probably a control issue.  Wanting to do things right and with a plan in mind.  That's okay to a point but intentions mean nothing if not put into action.  Some thoughts need to be slept on tho to keep you from putting it into action.

Share

    Cookies are baking in the house today, oatmeal raisin and chocolate peanut butter.  I have friends coming over to visit today.  I like to have some special treat to share with them.  We share our thoughts, laughs and experiences.
    Sharing is caring.  Can you really fully enjoy something without sharing it with someone else?  When we share, we include others in whatever we're going thru.  Joys are more joyful and sorrows are better understood.
    Sharing the last cookie lets the other person know you're thinking about more than yourself.  That is what we're called to do, 'love thy neighbor as thy self.'  There is no thought of self-centeredness when you share.
     Dare to share...your wealth, your time, your possessions, your faith, and more.  It is better to give than to receive so bless yourself by blessing others first.

Way Back Wednesday..... Someday

   Do you ever see things and think someday I'd like to have this?  This is a picture from 1995 when my mom and I took a trip to Oregon.  This was one of our overnight stops and I thought the place was pretty cool.  See the handle on the wall?  That was the murphy-style drop down bed.  How cool is that, you wouldn't even need to make the bed.  The place was also on ocean front property with large dome-like rocks nearby.  There is just a relaxing feeling you get from the ocean.  It's been said, 'no matter how many times it is rejected, the water keeps kissing the shore.'
    I'm happy enough with my home here on earth.  I guess it's never too early to make plans for my eternal home.  Although, I know my thoughts are way simpler than what He has in store for me.

It's All Good

     I've heard a lot of distressing news lately about sickness, death and just daily struggles of others.  It makes me appreciate the blessings in my life more.
    Some wonder why we have struggles but there is value in them.  Perseverance --the greater the obstacle, the greater the glory in overcoming it.  Romans 5;2-4 ''And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.''  If you hadn't been there and done that thru a struggle, could you've ever known you could make it thru it?  Our battle stories help others while they are going thru a similar fight.  Everyone you meet is fighting a battle of some kind so be merciful.
     Life is good....and it's all good.  Even the girl in the caption is going thru the bumps and rocky spots of life but she can smile thru it all.  She even has one hand off the steering wheel because she knows Who really has got it all under control.

Smile

     What is in a smile?  It can be an expression, communication, or an addition to your wardrobe.  A smile is a way of giving your approval.
     A smile expresses the happiness you feel inside.  They are contagious too.  Doesn't it make you feel good to see someone smile?  'Your day will go the way the corners of your mouth turn.'
    'Everyone smiles in the same language.'  There is so much said with just a smile.  Hello across the room is often my message sent with my smile.
    'You're never fully dressed without a smile.'  Whatever you're wearing, a smile will turn it up a notch.  A smile is worth a mile of glitter and glam... and it's free.

Germ-X

    Tis the season for Germ-X.  Well that's not exactly true, it's important all year long to me.  I keep a big bottle of it next to my bed.  I know it burns but it is kind of funny when someone uses it and breaks out in a little raindance and hollars ow-ow-ow, like an Indian.
    I think our true friends can act like Germ-X too.  They can point out our weak areas to us that we may not see ourselves.  They can help us get the dirt out of our lives and lead us to purer lives.  They can burn us with a rebuke for our own good.
    So whether it's Germ-X or Friend-X, consider them a good thing keeping you from the bad things in this world.  'As iron sharpens iron, so does a friend.'

Been There?

     I hope that all of you reading this can relate to this caption.  If you can't then you've probably not been humbled enough.  Adversity through our trials builds us up in our character.  Without them, we see ourselves as self-sufficient and indestructible.
     I am definitely weak in a physical sense but it makes me strong spiritually.  When you reach a point of knowing your needs are bigger than what you can supply, you will seek a Savior.  Whether it takes a broken bone or the stomach flu, recognizing how fast we wither can help us to look beyond ourselves.  Suffering does a soul good when it leads one to a stronger relationship with the Lord.  Let it make you better, not bitter.
     I have been scared at times.  The not knowing and not in control moments can fuel our fears.  You can't let fear be the driving force in your life.  ''I will fear no evil, for my God is with me.''  Let your faith be bigger than your fear.
     I have had my foolish moments.  I have done my own thing and gone my own way but that is part of the journey.  Mistakes are just lessons to be learned from.  'Don't carry your mistakes around with you but place them under your feet as a stepping stone.'  Let your experiences, good and bad, make you wiser in the future.


''The empty place in every heart can be filled only by the Lord. All earthly pursuits of pleasure or purpose fade in comparison to the satisfaction found in His presence.''

Shop or Not?

    Okay so it's Black Friday and the stores are packed with deals and people.  Am I out there in the thick of things?  No, not this year.  I've already finished most of my shopping prior to this day because of the warm weather days recently.  Also, nobody seems to be in the crowd tackling mood that you need to shop till you drop on days like these.
    Does that keep me from missing today's deals?  Heck no!  Online shopping keeps me strong through retail therapy.  If you don't think a shipping charge is worth missing the crowds, the long checkout lines, and the energy spent only to find they are out of what you wanted....then more power to you.
    As with everything in life, we can find a way to do what we want or we can find an excuse not to.  Do what makes you happy, despite the barriers.  As for me, let me shop and nobody gets hurt.  Ha!

Thankful For....

Top Ten Reasons I Am Thankful Today

10.  I am thankful I got to sleep in today till 945 and the phone didn't ring once...oh yeah.

  9.  I am thankful not to have to travel anywhere today because 10 straight years of that was more than enough for me.

  8.  I am thankful for all my electronic devices that keep me entertained and in the Word during all my times of rest.

  7.  I am thankful for Tiger's continuous recovery and the joy I get from all my pets/kids.

  6.  I am thankful that 'Rachel' from Cardholder services hasn't called and left her annoying recording all week about improving my rate on a credit card I don't even own.

  5.  I am thankful for my helper during the week that has raised the bar so high on meeting both my needs and wants that I'm amazed and blessed every day.

  4.  I am thankful to belong to a church where I respect the elders and feel loved by the whole congregation.

  3.  I am thankful for all my friends who encourage me, visit with me, and care for me as their sister in Christ.

  2.  I am thankful for my parents who do all that they can for me, even when I'm the turkey and not just at Thanksgiving.

  1.  I am thankful to be a child of God and His friend.  To know that He watches over me and in Him only do I trust my life and future with because I know of His faithfulness.

Way Back Wednesday.....Celebrate

     This was the dress-up night on our 7 day cruise to the Caribbean in 1989.  We departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico and went to Barbados, Martinique, St. Thomas and I think St. Marteen.  I had never been on a cruise before, so it was fun to get dolled up just for dinner.
    Psalm 145:7  ''They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.''  We had much to be thankful for as I had just graduated from high school and recovered fully from my first bout with pneumonia.  
     Looking back helps to remember how good God has been to us.  Good memories are more desired but the rough times to get to the good are just as praise worthy.

Tact

     Well I'm going to the dentist office today to get my teeth cleaned.  Now what if that was all we had to do to make what comes out of our mouths cleaner and sweeter?  It doesn't work that way though.  It begins with our thoughts and then flies thru our open airway to the world.
     Tact is the acute sensitivity to what is proper and appropriate in dealing with others, including the ability to speak or act without offending.  My friend told me the other day that sometimes my blogs are hard in its subject matter.  I said 'well I'm no Joel Olsteen', which means I don't just write what you want to hear.  I hope my blogs come across as real and with applicable messages of benefit.
     We can all use a little tact and still get our opinions out there.  I think grace is key to that.  I think if we give grace to others, our words will be more graceful.  Yes my mind can be quite the smarty-pants but I have to be smarter than that to not let all that out.. ha.
   

Enough

    Doesn't God give us more than enough?  Sometimes we think we've had enough trials but never enough blessings.  I think that's when we need to check our accounting.  It all works for our good, as this caption illustrates.  If we only had sunshine and no rain, how much would we miss.  We need both.
     One of my new songs I'm working on says 'bring me joy, bring me peace, bring the chance to be free, bring me anything that brings You glory.'  Everything in our lives is useful in our process of sanctification to becoming more Christ-like.  He will not give us more than we can bear.  'My grace is sufficient.'
     When you think 'that is enough', be careful not to focus on the -ugh.  'His mercies are new every morning.'  Sometimes we need a push to keep going or a push to keep us humble.  Every push gets us where we need to be, even when we don't like it.

Path of the Wind

         Have you ever wet your finger and held it up in the air to tell which way the wind was blowing?  Yeah, I can't tell either.  I can't tell you the time by looking at the sun either.  If I get lost in the woods, it's up to you to find me because it all looks the same to me.
         The same is true for where God will lead us on our journey's path, we don't know where He'll take us.  Without His guidance, we wander around lost in circles.  We hit the same stumbling blocks and dead ends over and over.  We often get frustrated with ourselves for repeating the same mistakes. 'Lead, follow or get out of the way' is how we often express our lack of direction and impatience when we depend on the world's leading, instead of God.
        When we surrender our will for His, the path seems to make more sense with time.  Even if you don't understand, you can trust that He is working for your good.

Saturday Look

      This is what I envision for Saturday mornings.  No rush, a nap on the couch and food at my fingertips.  Is it laziness or just relaxing?
      We must be cautious not to make it habit forming.  We can get too comfortable at staying at home and not fellowship with others.  We think 'oh they won't miss me' but your presence is a witness itself.  One of my favorite songs starts out 'there's a quiet understanding when we're gathered in the Spirit.'  It is important for believers to get together and share how God has been working in their lives.
     It is rare that you'll regret something you did attend but more often you'll regret you didn't go.  I can guarantee you, life doesn't wait for anyone.  So get involved or get left behind.

Happy Friday

   For a lot of you, it's the end of a long work week.  Happy Friday could mean payday, a weekend to look forward to, or just finally it is Friday.  Whatever day it is, we can find something to be happy about.  Sixty seconds of despair means you missed a minute of happiness.  Happiness is a conscious choice, not always an automatic response.  You are as happy as you choose to be.]

      ''If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.  If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands.  If you're happy and you know it, then your life will surely show it.''  Children's songs often tell the simple truths of life, like happiness.

      ''Don't worry, be happy.''  Enjoy today because tomorrow has enough trouble of its own.  May your Friday be happy, regardless of what happens.

 

Anger

           Anger is a weapon of destruction used by the devil on and within ourselves.  When we lack self control of our anger, it often displays itself thru yelling.  I hate yelling and yes I've done my fair share of it.  It certainly does no good but keeps the vicious cycle going.  ''Don't raise your voice, improve your argument.''  Unless your rival is deaf, there is no need to get louder.
          We should remember God hears and sees everything we say and do.  If your arguments were recorded, what would they show?  Gentleness, meekness, forgiveness?  Believing you are right doesn't justify any less lack of self control.
          'Anger is a feeling that makes your mouth work faster than your mind.'  So slow down and think before you speak.  'Anger doesn't solve anything. It builds nothing but can destroy everything.'  Anger doesn't hit a single target, it shatters like bird shot in a wide range.  'Anger is one letter short of danger.' Isn't that warning enough to control it?
         Mark Twain tell of the destructiveness of anger in ''anger is an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured.''  Holding on to anger only hurts yourself, so let it go.  ''We will understand it better by and by.''

Way Back Wednesday... Relax

       In the hammock beside the Little Red River in Pangburn, AR with my Brandi, now that's a relaxing moment.  We all need moments just to enjoy a little time to kick back and not be bothered.  We are often in a hurried rush during our day that a moment to sit down is just a time to crash.  Real relaxation has a peaceful and calming effect.  I think those moments are a good time to count blessings and thank God for His faithfulness.  There is no tension reliever better than the time you spend turning your worries and struggles over to the Lord.  A massage or soothing lotions may give you the physical stress relief you need but don't forget to work on the inner tension of the soul's struggles.
        With the holidays just around the corner, remember to take time for yourself and don't let the tension build up and explode.

Like Little Children

      God says He wants us to come to Him like little children, so today I want to share three examples by little children recently.  Kids are often a reminder of what a softened heart looks like.
      JOY..... a little 2.5yr old fellow, Moses, was sitting in a short pew by himself.  The church congregation was about to sing Happy Birthday to someone and he got so excited. He was so happy that he not only clapped but smacked himself in the head with both hands.  When is the last time you were that excited for someone else?  Are we like Job 9;25  ''My days are swifter than a runner; they fly away without a glimpse of joy.''
     SHARING....  my little 3yr old friend, Jed, had a baseball cap on at church when his 6yr old cousin took it like she owned it.  He didn't fuss one bit but just waited patiently for her to return it when she was done playing with it.  Do you share your possessions with patience and without grumbling?  Proverbs 22:9  ''The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.''
     ASKING.... when I have friends over with kids, I often give out popsicles so they're kind of expected.  Before coming over, Jed asked his mom if he could have 'one of those things' when he got here. The mom says only if Angie offers you one.  So 'well can we ask her to offer us one?'  This reminds me of how I can twist my prayers into my will, instead of seeking God's will.  John 16:24  ''Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.''

     May we seek to be people with gentle spirits filled with kindness and love like the little children around us.

Salute a Veteran

     Yesterday was Veterans Day but it is recognized again today in government offices.  I wanted to give a salute to one of my favorite veterans, Pascal ''Bud'' Hancock, with a blog post on his service duty.  Bud has not only served in the military field but also in the missionary field. 
      Bud was born on Dec 30, 1930.  He became a believer at 12, but not strong.  After marriage and beginning AF assignments, he began to see the need for a more Godly life. He learned to fly while in college, but after graduation and joining the Air Force, he was selected to train as a Navigator because of his test scores. From the beginning of his career he flew several kinds of aircraft- all  cargo, troop carriers, humanitarian ferrying missions.
      In 1967 he got a Vietnam assignment at the peak of the war. He moved his family of 5 from Iowa where he was teaching in college for the AF, back to home in Tenn -"just in case".   Praise the Lord that he came back after 13.5 long months.
     Flying in Vietnam was not as dangerous as for on the ground troops, but once a plane was shot down, there were usually no survivors or they were captured.  He began to really trust in the Lord for every minute. carrying and unloading US troops while under fire -both ground and air attack;  and the terrible task of carrying out the wounded and dead. Moving refugee civilians to more safe areas.  Supplying needed supplies and food , etc. The bases in Vietnam were never safe, snipers were all around.
       The workhorse C-130 plane he was flying in Jan 1968 in Southern Vietnam was hit near the Cambodian border.  His crew was unloading huge "bladders" of gasoline and VietCong snipers were all around the runway in the trees.   Soon his plane was gushing its own gas supply from bullet holes to the point of not being able to take off again.  Bud saw this and dashed from the plane into the woods, cut a green stick from a small tree and dashed back. Under extreme ground fire, he climbed onto something and whittled that stick into a plug that stopped the bullet-hole leak in the engine gas tank temporarily and gave the pilot time to get the plane air born  and back to a safer base. God used that small act to save the crew of 9 and a multi-million dollar airplane. The US military recognized his act of bravery with a Distinguised Flying Cross (DFC) award.
        After returning from that Vietnam assignment, the next mission was Germany where he flew the same types of planes, but these planes were converted into "spy planes" for flying over to Berlin and back, taking continuous photos of Russian activity.  Another very dangerous activity (completely unknown to his family!)  Again God was good. The navigator had the huge responsibility of keeping the plane within the UN restricted air corridors and a 10 feet deviation could mean being shot down.   They called themselves the ''Berlin for lunch Bunch''  For 5 years he flew this and other routes daily,   under this pressure. This airplane crew was sworn to secrecy for 10 years,---- he has only recently revealed his "job" in Germany to his family!
       His family grew to 7 by now, and the Lord had smiled upon him because Bud now knew his wife and 4 oldest children had accepted Christ also. 
       These were 2 of Bud's AF career assignments.    His best job has been being a daddy and a husband, which he has excelled at.  After he retired from the AF, he taught some college courses, sold real estate until his children were established in college etc, then God allowed him to follow his leading to be a part time missionary to many countries and touch many lives, and be impacted with the love of so many for almost 27 years.
       ''Every job is a Christian job for a Christian.''  May Bud's life be an example to all in times of uncertainty and the verification of God's faithfulness.

Never Forsaken

     Our message today was from Psalm 9 and about nations forgetting God.  All across America this is happening and we will suffer the consequences.  The lack of morality, ethics, and a sense of entitlement has overtaken the sensitivity of the moral majority.  'In God we trust,' needs to be applied in our lives, not just written down.
     Psalm 9 starts out with what we are to brag about.  ''I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.''  We often think we deserve a gold star for a good deed we've done but do we recognize all our daily blessings from Him?  In our tithes, in our speech, or in our prayers?
     For those that do believe and trust in Him, Psalm 9;10 is comforting.  ''Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.''  I think of the lyrics, ''I will remember you, will you remember Me?''  As much as we'd like to give all we can, we still fall short.  God never fails at anything, anytime, any where.