I left off saying that life is a beginning and end, determined by God and all of the events in the middle. The events in the middle, between those two fixed points in time are largely your responsibility. There are events that take place that you have no control over, a part of the event but not a controller of the event. God brings us to life for His pleasure and He desires us to live happy and fulfilling lives until we enter an eternity with Him in Heaven. There are people that will never know the peace that God and will never enjoy the eternity of Heaven. There are some that won't enjoy happiness on this earth because they continue to live in turmoil. God cries out for these people. He wants all of His children to have wonderful lives and to share that life with him.
You play a huge role in making yourself happy. You can choose to allow things to make you stronger and better or you can allow things to weaken you and spoil your joy. When my life started, I was instantly a daughter, sister, grand daughter, niece, cousin and baby. As I grew older, I became a toddler, a preschooler and friend. I have filled the role of student, choir member, Girl Scout, babysitter and employee. I still have some of the same roles that I did on the first day of life. I have held many roles. Some positions last forever and others for a brief while. Each role has changed me slightly because each role was a responsibility. I continue growing older and my personality and soul grow as well. God's desires are that I become more like Him with each change. He wants all of His children to become more Christ-like. I think that once you have filled enough roles, changed enough, become more what you need to be in eternity, life ends. Because, not all people change for good, they seem to have more chances to repent and redeem themselves. And there are some people that get to teach by example so while they, themselves might be what God needs, He needs them still on earth to lead and teach. Some roles that you fill are terrible and in no way desirable. Such as accident victim, terrible friend, sassy back talker, sick patient. But by being in those positions, we all have the chance to turn those bad things into good. Once you have been that sassy back talker, you have the chance to stay that way, become more bratty and a person that no one wants to be around. Or you can choose to ask for a chance to try that over. You can ask your mother for forgiveness and tell her how you love her and that you should not act that way. This helps you to learn empathy, sympathy, compassion, love and forgiveness. And the choice is yours as to how you come out of the role, for better, or for worse.
Each role that you fill gets marked on your time line. There are periods that you have lots of activity and others with not so much. But in the end of life, God's hope is that you have chosen His way, the better way, the loving and happy way. I hope that you will learn from each role that you fill and that you become who you should be in the end. Your time line can be exciting and happy or dreadful. The choice is ultimately yours. I hope that you can view life from my perspective a little more and that it can be a blessing to you in your current and future roles in life.
Blessings to you and yours!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Who are you? What will you become?
Do you remember having to look at time lines during history class? You know those lines that start out at a certain date and end at another date, in between there are specific, important facts and the dates for those facts? That is sort of how I view life, as a time line. A definite start and end with facts scattered in the middle.
Alright, I admit this is a rather flat and boring way to think about life but hear me out. Hopefully I will describe this to show you that a time line is really dimensional and extremely intriguing. It really is a helpful way to think of life and how it all works for good. You remember that Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good, for those that love God. I think life begins with conception so truthfully your time line begins then. But if you would rather, think of the beginning as your actual birth date. Now, of course the end will be your death and you don't know that date but God knows this date. Your death date will be made known to others once it happens and is not really relevant now.
What is so important is all the stuff in the middle, between the two end posts. You have the leading role in that. I think that the trials and tribulations that we all face in life are equal to the good and happy times we face. I don't mean that the events are equal in joy or desire but equal in that the events shape us and mold us. I believe that if life is all a cake walk, we don't learn how much we need a Savior. And if life is terrible all the time then we never learn that a Savior would care about us. You begin life with one soul and that same soul, transformed, is the soul you leave with. That same soul that starts life enters eternity. That eternity is Heaven or Hell. What happens in the middle, determines the location of your eternity. I think that you stay here on this earth until you have been through all the ups and downs that your soul needs to have gone through to have become the soul you enter eternity with. Certainly, I could be mistaken as I have been mistaken at least once before.
I will sign off for now and finish my thoughts in the morning. I hope that my time line view of life is starting to take shape in your mind a bit. If not, maybe by the time I finish tomorrow my twisted concept will be clearer.
Blessings to you and yours!
Alright, I admit this is a rather flat and boring way to think about life but hear me out. Hopefully I will describe this to show you that a time line is really dimensional and extremely intriguing. It really is a helpful way to think of life and how it all works for good. You remember that Romans 8:28 tells us that all things work together for good, for those that love God. I think life begins with conception so truthfully your time line begins then. But if you would rather, think of the beginning as your actual birth date. Now, of course the end will be your death and you don't know that date but God knows this date. Your death date will be made known to others once it happens and is not really relevant now.
What is so important is all the stuff in the middle, between the two end posts. You have the leading role in that. I think that the trials and tribulations that we all face in life are equal to the good and happy times we face. I don't mean that the events are equal in joy or desire but equal in that the events shape us and mold us. I believe that if life is all a cake walk, we don't learn how much we need a Savior. And if life is terrible all the time then we never learn that a Savior would care about us. You begin life with one soul and that same soul, transformed, is the soul you leave with. That same soul that starts life enters eternity. That eternity is Heaven or Hell. What happens in the middle, determines the location of your eternity. I think that you stay here on this earth until you have been through all the ups and downs that your soul needs to have gone through to have become the soul you enter eternity with. Certainly, I could be mistaken as I have been mistaken at least once before.
I will sign off for now and finish my thoughts in the morning. I hope that my time line view of life is starting to take shape in your mind a bit. If not, maybe by the time I finish tomorrow my twisted concept will be clearer.
Blessings to you and yours!
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
The humor of God
If you have ever doubted the sense of humor of God, don't!! He heard my prayers for patience. This morning I was stopped by a train on my trip back home from taking Anna to pre-kindergarten. I happened to be the first car in line waiting at the crossing. I watched as these train cars filled with coal traveled by and I enjoyed the crisp fall morning sun rising higher in the sky behind me. After 3 locomotive engines and 36 coal cars went past, the train stopped on the track, with numerous cars yet to pass by me. STOPPED!!! Now, I want you to know, I did not get upset. I really was enjoying it. The music on the radio was good and I was just looking around and thinking. I waited for the train to begin moving and behind me cars and trucks turned around to head in the other direction. I could see cars and trucks on the other side of the train tracks do the same. I waited. After 18 minutes of the train being stopped, I could sit not longer. So I turned my truck around and headed back into town so that I might go the other way.
Now it gets better, once I got around to the other road home...there was the first of the three locomotive engines just getting to the trigger that lowers the cross arm. I had to laugh out loud. God, what humor you have! I continued on my journey and went out into the country and through some smaller communities to get home again. What is typically a 7-10 minute trip took me 53 minutes, today. And you know what, I never got frustrated. I got the chance to look out over crops and pastures. I could see the hills in the distance and the dense fog rising off the creeks to greet the sun. I was able to commune with God and His creation.
I can't say that I am a patient person but this morning...I handled a train with grace. Now, sweet Lord, give me the grace to handle the rest of the day! Blessings abound, enjoy each one.I hope that you will consider praying for patience. It might bring you a wonderful journey through town and a chance to share your morning with God in just one more way.
In Christ, Live.
Now it gets better, once I got around to the other road home...there was the first of the three locomotive engines just getting to the trigger that lowers the cross arm. I had to laugh out loud. God, what humor you have! I continued on my journey and went out into the country and through some smaller communities to get home again. What is typically a 7-10 minute trip took me 53 minutes, today. And you know what, I never got frustrated. I got the chance to look out over crops and pastures. I could see the hills in the distance and the dense fog rising off the creeks to greet the sun. I was able to commune with God and His creation.
I can't say that I am a patient person but this morning...I handled a train with grace. Now, sweet Lord, give me the grace to handle the rest of the day! Blessings abound, enjoy each one.I hope that you will consider praying for patience. It might bring you a wonderful journey through town and a chance to share your morning with God in just one more way.
In Christ, Live.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Patience is a tough word!
Patience is a word that describes something that we all want others to have and yet it is a word that we all cringe at attaining ourselves. Have you ever thought about it, really? Most people have heard "The Patience of Job" and everyone thinks...."Oh, Bless his heart!" Why is that how we all feel? I am hoping that my thoughts will help me (and possibly you) consider patience for what it is, a virtue.
By definition patience is an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay. That does not seem all that terrible; certainly we can all achieve that at least from time to time. On a broader scale though, how do you gain patience? The only way that is possible is suffering the delay. And of course, the delay could be anything we don't want to do. I know that if I am trying to drive somewhere and have the misfortune of getting stopped by a train then the train is my test of patience. And what about going to to the doctor's appointment that you have scheduled for 10 am only to wait until 11:50 to be taken to an exam room. (And you are convinced at that point, that the doctor and the staff will hurry with you because, well it is lunch time!) Delays, tests, trials and tribulations are promised in life and can take on any size or shape. Yuck!
I think the Bible encourages us to pray for patience. If we read Galatians 5 we find that we are to avoid certain things and strive to gain others. We also know that in 1 John 5:15, we are told that we obtain the requests made of Him. It might be a stretch to consider that I could ever be as patient as I need to be or as patient as God wants me to be but I can certainly try to improve on my current level.
In the mean time, I think that I should keep busy. Perhaps if I am busy I might not notice the waiting that I have to endure. You know an idle mind is the devil's workshop...so get busy! While I wait I will do the following:
As you live life, I hope that you are not afraid to pray for patience. The trials and tribulations are going to come whether you have patience or not. But won't it be much nicer to not be so grumpy as we wait on the really long, slow train? I am choosing to pray for patience. I am hopeful.
Blessings to you and yours!
By definition patience is an ability or willingness to suppress restlessness or annoyance when confronted with delay. That does not seem all that terrible; certainly we can all achieve that at least from time to time. On a broader scale though, how do you gain patience? The only way that is possible is suffering the delay. And of course, the delay could be anything we don't want to do. I know that if I am trying to drive somewhere and have the misfortune of getting stopped by a train then the train is my test of patience. And what about going to to the doctor's appointment that you have scheduled for 10 am only to wait until 11:50 to be taken to an exam room. (And you are convinced at that point, that the doctor and the staff will hurry with you because, well it is lunch time!) Delays, tests, trials and tribulations are promised in life and can take on any size or shape. Yuck!
I think the Bible encourages us to pray for patience. If we read Galatians 5 we find that we are to avoid certain things and strive to gain others. We also know that in 1 John 5:15, we are told that we obtain the requests made of Him. It might be a stretch to consider that I could ever be as patient as I need to be or as patient as God wants me to be but I can certainly try to improve on my current level.
In the mean time, I think that I should keep busy. Perhaps if I am busy I might not notice the waiting that I have to endure. You know an idle mind is the devil's workshop...so get busy! While I wait I will do the following:
- Pray
- Study
- Help others
- Praise God, be filled with thanksgiving
- Remember God's Word and believe that it is true for me and all who believe
As you live life, I hope that you are not afraid to pray for patience. The trials and tribulations are going to come whether you have patience or not. But won't it be much nicer to not be so grumpy as we wait on the really long, slow train? I am choosing to pray for patience. I am hopeful.
Blessings to you and yours!
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