Inspirations

a friend from church who was also waiting Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:14 Today, I’m doing something that each of us does at one time or another.  I’m waiting.  We often spend a great deal of our time waiting.  We wait in the checkout line at the supermarket; we wait at the restaurant; we wait at the doctor’s office; the latter is where I am right now.  It made me think of how we spend our time while we wait.  In all honesty, I am not the most patient person and waiting is hard for me.  I often fret and fume and get restless if I’m asked to wait for very long.  However, I’m beginning to see waiting as a blessing.  Sometimes, it gives me time to relax and regroup.   I’m learning that while waiting, I can turn the mundane chore of waiting into an opportunity. It can be a chance to make new friends, or reconnect with old friends I haven’t seen in a long time. Since waiting is something that ea...

“So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.  Romans 14:12 A few days ago I got a new cell phone.  I did my homework, and since they did not sell one that I wanted in store; I ordered it online.  As I was waiting to pick it up on Saturday, I noticed that there was a sign that said the store was offering a fifty dollar gift card when you bought a smartphone.  I thought, wow that would be so awesome to get a gift card.  I asked about the gift card and was informed that I had to have gotten the phone that day.  The lady said I could return the phone I bought and then rebuy it so I could get the discount.  I was extremely tempted because I really could have used the gift card.  After I had thought about it; I decided that, for me, it would be wrong to do that since I had bought it earlier and returning it and buying it back just to get the gift card seemed deceptive. I was told that everyone does that. That was the kiss of dea...

Today as I was thinking of the last few years and what I've been learning about trusting God and listening to him.  Three years ago I was about seventy, that’s right 70, pounds heavier.  I didn't start out that way, none of us do, but somewhere in my late twenties and thirties I developed poor eating habits.  The problem was that if you asked me I would tell you my eating was normal and even healthy.    About three years ago I realized I was approaching the big 5 0, and if I didn't want to be overweight the rest of my life, something had to change.  I told God I needed his help and that I would do whatever he showed me to do.  Little by little he showed me things that I needed to change; I would change them.  Now three years and seventy pounds later I realize that:  I had to admit, to myself and to God that my own ways were not working.  Often, I’m guilty of doing the same thing over and over even if it’s not working.  In my own sim...

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.  James 1:5  I downloaded a new app for my phone.  It was an app that lets you know how far you walk or in my case work.  I thought this would be excellent because it measures the speed and distance so it would help me in preparing for 5k’s that I run.  I hate running the same course, but I like to know that I am actually running 3.1 miles or more each time.  I opened the app went to my routes; it said I didn't have any routes bookmarked.  No kidding, I had not used it yet. I went to a different section; routes near me.  They were all in an adjacent town, three miles away.  Nope still not right, I want to walk run from here, not three miles away!  After spending nearly 20 minutes trying to make it do what I wanted, I finally broke down and did the only sensible thing to do in these circumstances.  Y...

I’ve been told that writing out your story of how you came to Jesus is a good idea.  I’ don’t know because my story is not anything special, but it is my story. When I was little, I remember being afraid of my father because he was hard and I did not want to make him angry.  When I was probably six or seven my dad accepted Christ as his savior because of some Christians who love him unconditionally.  What a transformation!!  My dad became as kind and gentle as he had been calloused.  I knew anyone who could make that kind of transformation in a person was awesome.  A few years later, we had an evangelist come to the church.  I remember realizing that it wasn’t just my father that needed Jesus.  I needed him also. I didn’t accept Jesus as my savior right then, but a few years later at church camp.  I would love to say that I’ve always from that point on did everything right but the truth is, I haven’t.  I am reminded often of how far I ...

        I have a son who hates leftovers.  He will gorge himself so that he does not have to eat leftovers.   I realize that he is not the only one who feels this way, and if I asked if any of you felt the same way, many of you would say you feel the same way.  It is indeed why there are some science experiments in the refrigerator.  We put them in the refrigerator figuring to eat them, but we didn’t honestly want them, so they stay there till we clean the refrigerator.         Yet, at the same time I wonder how often in our Christian life, we are guilty of offering our Lord, the creator of the universe, left overs.  We come to him with what we have after we have done the things you and I desire.  We give five minutes before bedtime because it way easier than getting up earlier or setting another time aside for God.  Instead of giving to God first, we offer him what money we have left after we have spe...