Traveling

I'm traveling this week to be with family as we've suffered the loss of my dear uncle.  I'll be back next week.

Sunday Blogvotional: Achieving Greatness

Greatness can be a double edge sword. To achieve it can be wonderful and damning at the same time.  To do or be something great and not let our pride get in the way can be a very difficult thing. In the book of Mark, Jesus does not criticize the apostles for wanting to be great; He’s human and understands our needs. Fortunately for us, He actually tells us how to achieve it.  In typical God fashion, the way to true greatness is a shift from our natural instincts. We want the fan fare and pats on the back but Jesus challenges us like in Mark chapter 9, “For he who is least among you all – he is the greatest.” It’s okay to strive for greatness in God’s eyes.  Do it the way God wants you to do it and great will be your reward.

Sitting down, Jesus call the Twelve and said, “If anyone want to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.”  Mark 9:35

Encouragement for the week: What is your mission in life? Where do you feel like God really uses you? Whatever that is, become the greatest servant you can possibly be and you’ll achieve greatness in God’s eyes. 

**This week's Blogvotional was presented by James (the Hubs).  Thanks, dear, for your thoughts and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

The Daily Bonus

I wonder how I would live my life if I woke up differently.  If you’re old enough, you might remember the donut commercials where the alarm goes off and the still half-asleep guy stumbles out of bed saying “Time to make the donuts.”  That’s kind of what I do every morning only I say “Time to let the dog out, get breakfast going, make school lunches, etc., etc.”  Doesn’t exactly have aWoo Hoo!! factor, does it?

What if, instead of that, I woke up and said “WOW! I get to be a part of another day.  Thank you, God, for giving me this opportunity.  How can I make the most of this blessing?  How can I show others your amazing glory today?”  Truthfully – I’d love to wake up with a shout. WOW!! (Without giving my husband a heart attack, of course.)  

Okay so maybe hollering out “WOW!” isn’t the best idea for practical reasons.  But what about thinking it?  How do we train ourselves to be consciously aware that each day is a gift given to us by God?  Our days aren’t simply blobs of sand waiting to slide through a tiny hole in an hourglass.  They have purpose.

Ours days are presents and each day we get to open a brand new gift.  Sure – it looks like the one we opened yesterday but grace-fully (yep I said grace-fully not gratefully) we can mold and shape this new gift any way we want.  

By God’s grace - if we made some bad mistakes with yesterday’s gift, we have an opportunity to correct them with today’s gift.   If we got distracted and left God’s path yesterday, we can get back on the right path today.  

If you’re like me, you may find it hard to look past the daily to-do lists.  I think if I woke up with a different perspective, I’d live my life focused more on God and what I can do for Him rather than on how I can live the day for myself.  After all – isn’t that what I was created for? 

Sunday Blogvotional: God Loves A Flawed Person

It may be a shock to you but you're not perfect.  In fact nobody is perfect.  We look at some of the "greats" in the Bible and wonder how we can ever have faith like they did.  But if you look closely at them (Abraham, David, Solomon, Joseph, Paul, Peter) you will find they all had flaws.  Some of them more apparent than others.  This never once kept God from speaking to them, using them, or loving them.  God takes our flaws and either makes us stronger through them or uses them to bring Him glory.  God never looks at our flaws as limitations because He, and He alone, completes us.  

"God doesn't call the qualified - He qualifies the called."

(Famous Quote)

Encouragement for the week:  Look at your imperfections in a new light.  Give thanks to God that you're not perfect.  This means He can and will use you.

Blessings In The Detours

I’m not particularly crazy about detours.  They’re known for being lengthy and slow going.  I like taking the path I’ve planned out and the one I know will get me to my destination with the simplest ease.  Plus I’m usually on a time schedule and detours have a tendency to slow down my trip.  

The truth is we don’t have much control over whether we have to take a detour or not.  Things happen to the road. Repairs need to be made. Sometimes a new road has to be created altogether. 

This scenario is the same in our lives.  We have our lives planned out pretty much since we’re teenagers if not before.  But our lives are full of detours – those unexpected side trips.  Sometimes we encounter detours as a result of decisions we’ve made.  Sometimes we hit a detour through no fault of our own.  Either way they usually throw us for a loop.  

Detours can be muddy, uncomfortable and lengthy.  And unlike detours on a road our life detours tend to be poorly marked.  A lot of times we don’t even know if we’re going the right direction.  This leads to anxiety and stress.  (Unless you’re one of those people who can simply enjoy the ride.)

My own life plan has hit several detours along the way.  Once the initial panic wears off, I eventually remember God is in control and steering.  Like I said – I’m not particularly crazy about detours.  I like knowing my destination and exactly how I’m going to get there.  And I’m especially not big on delays.  But as I look back at all those detours I’ve encountered, I’m able to see the unexpected blessings that came through them.

The funny thing is – we think they are detours when maybe they’re actually the roads God intended for us to take all along.  The roads may not be pleasant that we need to travel but I fully believe they lead to a fuller, more blessed life.  God has an amazing way of turning a chaotic path into a beautiful blessing.