God Bless You

GOD BLESS YOU

Cell Phones Do Text Messaging

I’ve been thinking about these three little words since a friend used them to close a recent text message.

I replied, “Thank you, I receive that." In my mind that was like saying “amen” at the end of a prayer.

Amen is a word of agreement, like saying “it is so,” or “so be it.” 

To bless someone is to wish them well. What better way than to call upon God, who is greater than you, to make it happen?

One of my favorite blessings is in Numbers 6:24-26 (NKJV). It’s called “The Priestly Blessing.” Even today I love it when a pastor or priest closes a service with these words:

The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The LORD lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace.

Morning Coffee Goes Good With Bible Reading

While leading the great Exodus, God told Moses to instruct the priests to bless the people with those words.

Bible commentator, Matthew Henry, says the priestly blessing, though spoken to a group, was to be received individually.

The same principle of individuality is indicated in Romans 10:12 (NIV):  “. . . the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him . . .”  

Saying “God Bless You” is a way of calling upon Him. But might I give a word of caution? Do not say it mindlessly. It’s NOT a breezy saying like Have A Nice Day.

I would suggest: 1) Don’t say “God Bless You” unless you really mean it, and 2) If someone says it to you, confirm it by saying, “I receive that.”

This three-word blessing can be powerful. 

Propelled by Hope

PROPELLED BY HOPE

Small Planes Need Propellers

Small planes and motor boats have something in common: propellers. Though they differ in size their purpose is the same: power to get moving.

Humans have a hidden propeller called hope. I think it gets us moving each day. 

In Arizona, as you drive from Wickenburg to Quartzsite, you'll find Hope. It's a tiny settlement in what some would say is "the middle of nowhere." But big signs on each end of town make me smile.

First I read "You Are Now Entering Hope." Seconds later I read "You Are Now Beyond Hope." I enjoy the town's sense of humor.

I always wonder who named this place? Did they find hope and stay there, or did it propel them on?

Even in a car equipped with air conditioning, my trip feels long. There's not much to break up the view. The land on both sides of the road is treeless, filled with lots of cactus and plenty of clear blue sky.

Covered Wagons Were A Rough Ride

I think of pioneers on this road over a century before me. Their trail was dusty, the sun was hot and covered wagons were not a soft ride. Their journey must have seemed endless, but history proves they did not give up.

Wagon trains plodded westward. People moved forward with hope. Some were to join family already established in the west. Others hoped to homestead land or find steady jobs. 

Hope propelled them from the known to the unknown on a daily basis.

I like the practical explanation of hope in Romans 8:24-25 which says, " . . . hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently."

Hope is a powerful four-letter word, but it's no shortcut in life.

Read the above definition again. Do you see a couple of words you might like to avoid? How about "wait" and "patiently." 

My mother-in-law, actually named Hope, lived up to her name. As a young mother, she contracted polio and was in an iron lung for months.

Told she would never walk again, she was sent home with braces. But hope burned strong in her heart. She wanted to walk freely.

When I met her years later, she did not even use a cane. I was surprised to hear her story. It was one of hope, faith, prayer and perseverance.

Deserts Do Have Life

Hope may seem no stronger than a whisper inside us at times, but don't push it down. Take it to heart, let it propel you.

When progress seems slow, don't give up . . . persevere!

French Fries and Onion Rings

FRENCH FRIES and ONION RINGS

Eat Fries While They're Hot

My husband and I were visiting his family when Dad came in and said, “Who was eating French fries in my truck?” There was silence as the rest of us in the room looked at each other.

Mom never drove the truck, and neither my husband nor I could remember eating French fries. So, not getting the satisfaction of an answer, Dad went out to finish cleaning up his pickup.

The incident reminded me of a quote by American humorist Erma Bombeck: Onion rings in the car cushions do not improve with time.

Whether onion rings or French fries, hidden scraps lose their charm. Cold and greasy, they’re about as appealing as jellybeans to a chocolate lover.

We like the idea of nice hot fries or rings, so we plunge ahead and place an order. When they arrive, we dig in and enjoy both aroma and taste. But as we get full, we slow down and lose interest.

Good Ideas Light Up Our World

Every day people come up with good ideas to help others. Some even research ways to develop them. But enthusiasm does not always carry a project to completion. You might hear a conversation like this:

“Hey, what happened to that project you were working on?”

“Which project?” you ask, stalling for time.

 “You know, the one for the homeless."

It’s been months since you worked on that project. Why are they asking now? Feeling awkward you say, “I raised some funds over Christmas, but then I got interested in another project.”

“Oh? The needs were met then? No more need?”

The crumbs of your neglect have been uncovered; now you’re squirming. “No, the need is still there but so are many others. I made a little difference at least. How about you? Any helpful projects on your list?”

Your goal, if you can’t change the subject, is to at least move the spotlight away.

Simple to Order

Ideas and goals are like fresh orders of fries or rings. They have great appeal. Placing the order may be easy, but can you finish them?

Jesus gave some great advice in Luke 14:28-33: Count the cost BEFORE you start something.

Life may be more satisfying if you avoid the crumbs of good intentions.   

Sleep? How?

SLEEP? HOW?

Time to go to bed

Have you ever been really sleepy until your head hit the pillow? What's with that, anyhow? I know the reason for one sleepless season in my life, and I found a cure.

My husband had taken a part-time job with a nighttime cleaning service. We needed the extra income, but the place we lived did not feel secure.

Each night I would stay up as late as I could, then to go to bed hoping to fall asleep, but sleep eluded me.

Being in ministry, part of our salary included housing on church property. It was set quite close to the street and there was no separation from the driveway into the church parking lot.

I was glad for the streetlight out front, but the parsonage felt more public than private to me. 

What's that noise?

After midnight one night, I heard angry voices outside my bedroom window. I got up and carefully pulled back the curtains to peek out.

The shouting continued, then a car door opened and a woman was pushed out. She gained her balance but the car sped off. She walked on after it.

Even as an observer I found this unsettling. In our family you might argue but never shout, and physical abuse was never an option.

I had been alone a lot over the years. The new twist was that this was my husband's first night job.

I began to wonder is there a scripture I could use to help me sleep? I knew Psalm 23 very well, but that didn't seem exactly what I needed.

Sleep is so refreshing

In a Bible Concordance I looked up the word sleep. I found Psalm 4:8. The New King James translation puts it this way: I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; For You alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.

Wow! The promise of two things I needed . . . peace and sleep! Every night I would turn my fears over to the Lord as I lay down and quoted that verse.

I slept because I believe God's Word is true. An ancient scripture in Isaiah 55:11 (NIV) says God will not let His Word "return empty." Instead, it will "achieve the purpose" for which He sent it.

There have been other times over the years I have quoted this scripture, believing God to keep His word.

Should you choose to believe Him, He can do it for you, too.

Blowing in the Wind

BLOWING in the WIND

I’m sitting in one of my favorite eating places. High on a hill, its floor-to-ceiling windows overlook our valley town. Today I’m fascinated by things blowing in the wind.

A stormy day can be fascinating.

A few years ago, new landscaping was done outside the big windows. Improvements included a nice walkway and a large variety of desert plants.

I chose to have brunch here so I could watch a storm blow in. Dark clouds hovered over the mountains to the west and heavy rain had been predicted.

While eating, I saw rain clouds drop their load over the far side of the valley. But not once did a drop of rain come near me. The clouds always moved northward.

Picture this as a quivering green desert plant.

The only constant was the wind! Most of the plants outside reacted strongly to its force.

The least reaction was in plants which together created a hedge. But even when the wind calmed down, thin-spiked pom-shaped plants caught my attention. They never stopped quivering.  

Observing the reactions of the plants and bushes, I began to think about the winds of adversity. People react in different ways, just like plants.

It seems to me that people who stick together, like the bushes outside, have less severe reaction to adversity. In times of personal stress, I have been thankful for the hedge-like support of family and friends.

The quivering poms each stood alone. I kept thinking they’ll stop quivering when the wind calms down, but they never did.

In the winds of adversity how will I react?

There’s no doubt that high winds can cause a great deal of damage. Personal winds of adversity can do the same. But consider the example of the hedge.

Planted next to each other, the hedge did not eliminate the wind, it only softened the blow. In our lives that kind of support can keep us grounded.

We humans will always be blown about by winds of adversity. 

Do you want to plant yourself as a stand-alone pom? Or would you rather grow as part of a supportive hedge?

An Everyday Challenge

AN EVERYDAY CHALLENGE

Days, Weeks, Months, Years . . . All Time

Our days are filled with many responsibilities and job requirements. Our biggest challenge? Time. 

Why? Perhaps because it requires choosing priorities. That's not something that always comes easy.

For example, how does one balance the roles of husband, father, wife, mother, caregiver and/or provider? If these don't fit you, make up your own list. You may notice that you are expected to be a team player and not just a solo act.

Three basic ideas can help us make better use of time. Put them to work and you might discover a new sense of satisfaction.

(1 ) There is a time for everything: King Solomon wrote varied examples of our use of time in chapter three of Ecclesiastes. There have been times when I have stopped to read this list because I felt overwhelmed with what I felt was a shortage of time. Sometimes it's important to regain some perspective.

We are all in the race of time.

(2) The race is won at the finish: Picture a major race with spectators cheering you on. Then you mess up and fall down. Their mournful “oh-h-h-h, no-o-o-o” matches your feelings exactly. Now what? Give up? Or get up and finish the race? Be brave. Public admiration is fine, but the most satisfying reward is personal. Give yourself a heartfelt “hurrah” when you persevere under pressure.

(3) If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well: Have you ever tried to think of a situation where that didn’t apply? I have, and I haven’t come up with anything yet. Why do something if it’s not worth doing in the first place? Frustration can come when we try to do things well, but fail to meet others' expectations. The important thing is to be honest with ourselves and keep on trying. The personal inner glow of a job well done can be very satisfying.

Life is lived one day at a time.

Solomon said, “There is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live” (Ecclesiastes 3:12 NIV).

Use of time is an everyday challenge, but you can be a winner. The underlined affirmations can help.

Light With a Purpose

LIGHT WITH a PURPOSE

I find old houses fascinating. Whether I’m out for a leisurely drive or a walk, I enjoy seeing lamps in windows.

Hand-painted globe lamps are beautiful

On one vacation, we were walking a heritage section of town. It was daylight, yet I stopped to admire an old brick house with one window facing the walkway.

The curtains had been pulled back and in the center was a beautiful hand-painted globe lamp. How I would have enjoyed seeing those pink roses in their evening glow.

Light has been important to us since man first discovered the value of fire. But people continued to experiment until fire became tamed in candles, wick lamps and lanterns.

Thomas Edison experimented endlessly to create a light bulb, gigantic in size. Imagine how intrigued he would be with today’s choices in LED lighting.

Reading scripture is a bright idea

Cartoonists cleverly use a light bulb to indicate a bright idea. The nice thing is we don’t have to understand the principles of electricity to enjoy lights of all kinds.

Psalm 119:130 NKJV) says, “The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” No one has to be highly educated to read the Bible. It’s available to everyone.

When you read it, or even listen to it, God’s light shines into your heart and mind.

I can hear people saying, “I don’t even know where to start.”

Here's an idea. Look toward the center of your Bible for the Book of Proverbs. A lot of people read one chapter a day, matching their chapter number to each day’s date.

Take time to think about how you can apply what you read to your life. 

Proverbs can be your daytime LED, or your nightlight. The choice is yours.