Happy, oh, happy!!

In my opinion, Mondays call for a "happy list"! No mater what day of the week it is, no matter how the day is going, there is always something that we can find to be grateful for. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says,

"In every thing give thanks:

for this is the will of God

in Christ Jesus concerning you."

I am going to go through the alphabet to make a list of twenty-six things that I am thankful for and that make me happy. I hope that you will enjoy the list and that some of them will make you happy, too!

A ~ Advanced EXCEL and all of the memories that my friends and I have made and will make together

B ~Blueberry cheesecake, especially the way that my grandma makes it (and just cheese cake in general)

C ~ COFFEE, especially Starbucks, with tons of creamer and sugar!

D ~ Dove Dark CHOCOLATE (or any kind of chocolate for that matter)

E ~ Espresso- in my coffee of course :)

F ~ Frappachino! Sorry, my mind is on coffee this evening! :)

G ~ Going on trips with my family- the "where" does not matter so much as "with whom"

H ~ Helping my mother with stuff around the house, with meal preparation, etc.

I ~ Investing in the lives of others. You never can tell what sort of a difference a little smile or a kind deed will do in someone else's life.

J ~ Just being with my dear friends

K ~ Keeping things organized and clean :)

L ~ Lattes, especially mocha or vanilla ones

M ~ Making others time more profitable and helping them to succeed by giving of my time and myself. I have yet to find something more rewarding! :)

N ~ New days to enjoy all of the treasures that God is bringing in them

O ~ One hour dates with the Love of my life Who gave Himself because I was so precious to Him. Oh, how I love Him! Let me count the ways...

P ~ Pies of all kinds, especially apple, pumpkin, strawberry, and lemon marange (and caramel marange, too!)

Q ~ Quiet days with little to do and lots of time to enjoy doing it!

R ~ Resting safely in my Saviors love

S ~ Spending time with special younger brothers

T ~ Teaching Children's Institute!!! I think I left half of my heart with the four through seven year olds... :)

U ~ Understanding, like-minded Christian friends who will listen, love, encourage, and admonish and know when and how to do each one

V ~ Victoriously productive days, thanks to God's Almighty hand of blessing!

W ~ Watching the way God works everything out for my good! Even when things look like a complete mess, I love knowing that my Heavenly Father has a plan and will do the impossible in and through my life as I trust His sufficiency!!

X ~ X-ing signs that I pass by when I am out on a walk with my family or friends

Y ~ Yummy meals with friends, family, food, and fellowship (four of my favorite F's by the way)

Z ~ Zpending (or should I say spending) time with my dear daddy!!

"Happy, oh, happy! Happy in the Lord!!!"

Communicating Convictions

As Christians, the convictions that we adopt as our own are very important because they will shape the course of our future. How do we effectively communicate these convictions with others without being judgemental or offending them? How can we live out our convictions while showing deference to others, without being in fear of man? As I thought about this topic, I decided to use an example of a time when I was in situation where I needed to live out the convictions that the Lord had laid upon my heart to share with you ways that I have found helpful in enabling me to honor God while remaining in harmony with others.

A large group of us were going to Six Flags Great America for a fun day of recreation. It was the week of our anticipated trip, and we had a few last minute details to finalize. “So we can look like a group, without being completely matching, we are all going to be wearing plaid shorts and solid shirts,” my friends informed me. Unintentionally, my friends had put me into a quandary.

Looking like a group was a great idea, but there was one problem – I don’t wear shorts. It’s not that wearing shorts is a sin, but simply that wearing them would violate my personal convictions. I wanted to fit in. How do I show deference to others and live out my convictions at the same time, without worrying about what people may think of me?

After re-evaluating my convictions based on God’s Word and what He has taught me personally, I was reminded that Christ is the only one that I should be comparing myself to. He is the balance that I am required to measure up to. When my convictions are consistent with Christ’s character, my confidence comes from Him, and I have the courage that I need, to do what is right, even if it is unpopular.

When it comes to living out my convictions, my attitude is extremely important. Because people are very sensitive to attitudes, sincerity is a powerful key to living peacefully with others. If I am acting out of fear, then I am being a poor witness for Christ and damaging His reputation. If my heart attitude is prideful, then people who sense my critical spirit will be offended and may react harshly. By making sure that my motives are pure and that my attitude is one of humility, I am able to make decisions based on what I believe while promoting harmony with those whose standards are different from my own.

When my convictions are Biblically based and my attitude is correct, then I can look for a way to make a compromise— not of my convictions, but of the way that I choose to carry them out. To solve my clothing dilemma for our trip to Great America, I wore a plaid skirt, instead of plaid shorts. My friends and I were able to achieve the uniform appearance that we wanted, and, at the same time, I was able to honor my convictions.

We had a wonderful day at Great America and made a lot of terrific memories. Because of the decision that I made, peace and harmony were maintained, no one was offended, and my friends respected me for living by what I believed. Our time there was made even more enjoyable because I chose to show deference to my friends, while living out my convictions in a way that pleased my Heavenly Father.

The next time that you find yourself in a situation where one of your convictions is different from someone else’s, try doing these three things. First, evaluate your conviction to make sure it is firmly grounded in God’s Word. Secondly, check your attitude to make sure it is glorifying to God. Finally, look for a way to make a compromise that will promote harmony and encourage others to do what they know is right.

What kind of bridges are you building?

Last week, I read Leadership Gold: Lessons I've Learned from a Lifetime of Leading by John C. Maxwell. It was a very good book on leadership and I learned a lot from it. At the very end of the book, Mr. Maxwell included a poem by a Tennessee poet named Will Allen Dromgoole. The poem, entitled "The Bridge Builder" made an impression on me and I would like to share it with you.

“The Bridge Builder”
An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To chasm, vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a sullen tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side
And built a bridge to span the tide.

“Old man,” said a fellow pilgrim near,
“You are wasting strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the ending day;
You never again must pass this way;
You have crossed the chasm, deep and wide—
Why build you a bridge at the eventide?”

The builder lifted his old gray head:
“Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said,
“There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm that has been naught to me
To that fair-haired youth may a pit-fall be,
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim;
Good friend, I am building the bridge for him.”

Each one of us is building a bridge for those who will follow us. What kind of bridge are we building? Will it be sturdy enough to withstand the test of time? Will it be safe enough that even the feeblest child can cross it?

With Christ as our sure foundation, let's do our best with the resources that we have been given so that the bridges we build for those who are following in our footsteps will withstand the tests that are placed upon them. (See 1 Corinthians 3:10-15).

He Keeps Me Singing!

Written by Luther B. Bridges, the hymn "He Keeps Me Singing" has been a blessing to me. As the joy of the Lord is my strength, God's song fills my heart and I am able to sing His praises. My Savior truly does keep me singing! May God be your strength and give you a song to encourage your heart as you continue to live for His glory!

There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
“Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,”
In all of life’s ebb and flow.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus—
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.

All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
Discord filled my heart with pain;
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
Stirred the slumbering chords again.

Feasting on the riches of His grace,
Resting ’neath His sheltering wing,
Always looking on His smiling face—
That is why I shout and sing.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus—
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.

Though sometimes He leads through waters deep,
Trials fall across the way,
Though sometimes the path seems rough and steep,
See His footprints all the way.

Soon He’s coming back to welcome me
Far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown,
I shall reign with Him on high.

Jesus, Jesus, Jesus—
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.