The Importance of Being Civil

Cities Are Civilized By People

People, whether highly educated or not, can still be civil. It is not a play on words to say that being civil is an important part of civilization.

To be civil, in all cultures, is to move beyond a primitive self-absorbed, me-first mentality.

Civilized people create positive cultural climates. Their basic respect for all people, enables them to interact with all levels of society. Courtesy and politeness are shown by personal choice, not social pressure.

They are not always on edge to remember rules of etiquette. Their brand of civility means relating to others through inner thoughtfulness and consideration.

An Angry Crowd Is Like A Cyclone

Lack of civility becomes quite obvious. Rioting in the streets and random destruction of property show a lack of thoughtfulness, courtesy, and respect.

An angry crowd can burn up a lot of energy. It also cancels personal choice because it does not leave time for inner thoughtfulness.

But the word “random” brings up a great reminder of how to be civil.

Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) is a great concept. Search the web and you’ll find it was launched in 1995. In fact, RAK Week seems to land in February. But do we have to wait for a special week?

Simply put, random acts of kindness are thoughtful, spontaneous, and unpredictable. Reader’s Digest* had some wonderful examples.

Here’s my favorite: A three-year-old was begging for gummy treats in a store. The mom was doing her best to explain that daddy had lost his job and they could not afford any treats.

A stranger walked up and said, “You dropped this,” and handed her a fifty-dollar bill.

A random act of kindness . . . civil, thoughtful, polite, and spontaneous.

Small Things Are Important

You don’t have to be an adult to be kind. As a child, I learned Be ye kind one to another (Ephesians 4:32 (KJV). Mom taught the concept through both her words and deeds.

Be civil. Be kind. You may feel like a raindrop in the desert, but a tiny seed of hope might grow in someone from what you do.

*Reader's Digest, February 2020, pp. 82-87, Inspiration, Kindness: Pass It On!

Three Important Personal Things

Provision: Green Pastures and Still Water

A couple of weeks ago my blog was titled Quiet Restoration. I shared the relaxing picture of sheep being led to rest in green pastures and beside quiet waters (Psalm 23:2). It was such a great contrast to rushing waterfalls and fields full of weeds.

In writing Quiet Restoration, it didn't feel complete until I included the start of verse 3: He restores my soul.

The next morning, my waking thought was He restores my soul! I've never really thought much about that. I'd like to learn more. So, I set out on a quest: My soul . . . what is it?

Joyce Meyer, in her Everyday Life Bible, made a comment that really stuck with me: "We are a spirit, we have a soul, and we live in a body."*

Her commentary on Psalm 23 got my attention with this line: "The soul is comprised of the mind, the will, and the emotions."** Think about it. Would you be a whole person if one of these was missing?

Water Can Restore Green to Dry Places

The phrase He restores my soul began to take meaningful shape for me. 

Being married to a guy who loved car shows, I was quite familiar with restoration. Some owners included pictures of their awesome autos as "junkers" before they were restored.

What I found interesting was my own need for restoration. I'm usually an "up" person, so I couldn't miss the fact that this week I was noticeably "down."

Three things were clamoring for attention: 1) Negative feelings, 2) negative thoughts, and 3) my personal decision on how to handle them.

The choice was mine. God did not create us as robots, and He cares about every part of us . . . body, soul, and spirit.

After the Storm, A Rainbow of Hope

Are you feeling out of sorts, confused, or disappointed by life? Do you feel a need for restoration . .  a way to get back to the positive side of things?

That was me. I read Psalm 23 and asked the LORD to restore my soul. I later realized my "downers" were gone.

He'll do it for you, too. Just ask.

*The Everyday Life Bible (Amplified Version), Joyce Meyer, Faith Words, NY, NY, 1 Thessalonians 5:23, Life Point, p. 1984.

**The Everyday Life Bible (as above), Psalm 23, God Restores and Leads, p. 835. 

Quiet Restoration

Still Waters Look Inviting

Dad and I used to joke around with an old cliche. I'd say, "Still waters run deep." He'd laugh and say, "Cold, too."

We had some great discussions about spirituality, and I'm thankful for that heritage.

My version of still water has changed over the years. As a teenager, I enjoyed meditating on some Bible verses before going to sleep.

I still do that, but I also have found time to enjoy deeper waters with a study Bible in the morning. Study Bibles* have a variety of help to make things clearer.

Fog Cannot Upset Calm Waters

There have been times when I wandered away from still waters and got lost in the bubbling shallow waters of rocky times.

But as I stayed near the river, I found my way back to the spiritually refreshing quiet waters.

Psalm 23 is a good example. It starts out beautifully: The Lord is my Shepherd . . . He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.

One summer we visited Niagara Falls. It was amazing to walk under the rushing waters, but so impossible to relax. Deafening noise and wet slippery walkways threatened personal safety.

I prefer quiet waters. In the heart of our town, there's a small creek I enjoy checking out after a rain.

That's when it's easiest to enjoy the reflection of blue sky and white clouds. I may be looking down, but through the reflection, I'm also looking up.

That's the way it is when I read my Bible. I read by looking down. But while reflecting on what I've read, I'm looking up.

The Peace of Green Pastures & Still Waters

Life has a way of wearing us down. We need a quiet restoration regularly. Why wait? Start today.

Sit yourself down by the quiet waters of Psalm 23. Read and reflect on what the Good Shepherd can do for you. 

*Two of my long-time favorite study Bibles: Life Application Study Bible (NLT), Tyndale House; Spirit-Filled Life Study Bible for Students (NKJV), Thomas Nelson Publishers. 

Shadows Vs. Light

Light and Shadow Create Beauty

Shadows are created when something blocks the light. For example, I once lived in a flat desert area, but never saw the sunrise. The mountains to the east created shadows to start my day.

Now I never see the sunset. Houses on the hill above me create shadows as the sun goes down. It's a blessing, though, because it enables me to enjoy my deck in the late afternoon.

I'm now dealing with a different type of shadow, and so are you. We understand the routine of sunrise and sunset. But COVID-19 feels erratic and seems to constantly loom over us.

It's unlike the welcoming shadow of a shade tree on a hot summer's day. It's more the sinister variety, an unknown threat.

Does This Look Like a Heart?

Shadows can sometimes be fun. Have you ever tried shaping your hands and fingers to create animal shadows? Children are intrigued by that and want to try it, too.

The problem is that this pandemic shadow is scary, and not entertaining. We want it to be gone from the world, yet such power is not ours. It's more of an individual thing.

It's no secret---when light meets dark, light wins! At bedtime, a child afraid of the dark gives the solution: "Leave the light on."

There is light available for our darkness, too. The Psalmist declared God's word was a lamp to his feet and a light to his path (Psalm 119:105). Light is good, but it must be activated.

Action, Not Explanation, Required

You don't have to understand how electricity works. You just turn on your lamp and darkness leaves. It's the same with God's word.

The Bible is a lamp to our challenging shadows. Turn that lamp on by reading it. There's a lot of wisdom in Proverbs, for example.

Your cell phone has a Bible app called the You Version. There are others. The key is to take action! 

Shine the light of God's word into the shadows of your life. Enjoy the difference it makes.

Hang on to Hope

This is COVID-19

I have finally lost patience with COVID-19. Today was the first day I felt truly challenged by stay-at-home orders.

The past couple of months, I've had plenty of things to keep me busy. I rarely even needed to go for groceries or necessities. When I did, I observed social distancing and wore a mask.

The thing is, I'm tired of hearing about COVID-19. Opinions are so varied I don't know whom to believe.

I'm also tired of seeing COVID-19 on display around the globe. Epidemics have caused havoc before, but not on such an all-encompassing worldwide scale.

We Are All In This Together

My refrigerator has a magnet that says It Will All Work Out. That's what dad would say after he tried really hard to deal with something and found he couldn't change it.

Sometimes all we can do is wait. When that happens, how we wait becomes important. That's why I'm reminding myself to hang on to hope.

HOPE! Now there's a word worth keeping in your vocabulary. The dictionary describes it as desire accompanied by expectation.

That makes it a dynamic, energetic word. People with hope never give up.

COVID-19 seems to have renewed interest in spiritual things. It seems more people than ever are praying. Many of them have learned that prayer changes things. 

For me, hope and prayer go together because I see it like this:

How Often Prayer Enables

Prayer that enables provides the means, power,

or authority to do something, or get it done.

Pray Anytime Anywhere

How often should we pray? The Apostle Paul said to "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

Prayer is talking to God. It comes from our heart, not our posture. We can pray anytime, anywhere. I do, but why?

Because God is greater than I am, I have hope! Because I have hope, I pray. When I pray, I believe God hears me, whether my prayer is long or short.

HOPE in the form of prayer makes a difference. Even if we feel our faith is as tiny as the mustard seed mentioned in Matthew 17:20, it has power.

Prayer changes things, so don't give up. Hang on to HOPE!

Perseverance, Courage, or Both

If Only World Problems Could Be Handled Easily

Around the world COVID-19 is still an issue. As a pandemic, it’s a widespread life changer.

Have any of these changes affected you?

 

1) Schools are closed, and homeschooling and online classes fill in

2) Business challenges abound with “work from home,” jobs cuts, and layoffs

3) Food Banks are overwhelmed, and churches and civic organizations are trying to help

4) Social distancing is a given, masks are becoming more of a requirement

5) Group size limited to 10 has affected weddings, funerals, and celebrations of all kinds

6) Hoarding has caused shortages in necessary goods and food supplies

7) Needed Personal Protective Equipment for hospitals and first responders is in short supply

8) With a few “essential businesses” left open, the economy is ebbing low

9) Shelter-in-place requirements have curtailed travel and closed the hospitality industry

10) Streaming Online and ZOOM have joined Skype and FaceTime as “personal” connections

I could go on, but you probably have your own list. What we have in common is this: Life will not return to our “old normal.”

Your "New Normal" May Puzzle You

Major events always create a “new normal.” That’s why I am focused on perseverance and courage.

Older citizens may think I’ve got a handle on this. Younger ages may think someone else will cover for me. The truth is, perseverance and courage are personal qualities needed at any age:

Perseverance: continuing to do something in spite of obstacles or challenges; patient effort; persistence; adherence to some action, purpose, or belief.

Courage: the attitude of facing and dealing with anything recognized as dangerous, difficult, or painful; no withdrawing from it; brave.

The apostle Paul wrote that suffering produces perseverance and perseverance produces character (Romans 5:3-4).

The phrase “be strong and courageous” appears often in the Old Testament---Joshua 1:6-9, for example.

Make A Positive Difference In This World

So . . . how are you dealing with the challenges of COVID-19?

Hopefully, your answer will be, “I’m hanging in there” (perseverance), and/or, “I’m looking for ways to deal with it” (courage).

We need both.

15 Proofs of True Love

 

“I love you.” These little words are deceptively simple. It’s their major impact on relationships that make them worth exploring.

Some people start dreaming of true love in their teen years, and some later. But “true love?” What might that be?

I think love comes first emotionally. Then come physical feelings wanting expression. That’s where “I love you” can present its first challenge.

It wants expression NOW . . . and often says, “I love you. And if you love me, you’ll (do whatever makes me happy).”

Emotional decisions at that moment may cause actions that later bring regrets. Could it be that true love waits?

My husband conducted many wedding ceremonies.

Love Is Not Always A Feeling 

My favorite line was this: Love is not always a feeling.

It’s a great feeling, but for love to last long-term, there has to be something more.

Consider these characteristics of love

in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7:

The Message Bible:  LOVE	The New Living Translation: LOVE
1.  Never gives up	Is patient
2.  Cares more for others than for self	Is kind
3.  Doesn’t want what it doesn’t have	Is not jealous
4.  Doesn’t strut	Is not boastful
5.  Doesn’t have a swelled head	Is not proud
6.  Doesn’t force itself on others	Is not rude
7.  Isn’t always “me first”	Does not demand its own way
8.  Doesn’t fly off the handle	Is not irritable
9.  Doesn’t keep score of the sins of others	Keeps no record of being wronged
10. Doesn’t revel when others grovel	Does not rejoice about injustice
11. Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth	Rejoices whenever truth wins out
12. Puts up with anything	Never gives up
13. Trusts God always	Never loses faith
14. Always looks for the best	Is always hopeful
15. Never looks back/keeps going to the end	Endures through every circumstance

Choose Carefully For Lasting Love 

Note:  No one is so perfect as to display all these characteristics ALL the time. 

But consider these fifteen (15) proofs. 

You might find "true love" is an option for you.