Monday, April 30, 2012

what will matter?

“Denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.” (Titus 2:12–13)

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.
There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.
All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.
Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.
Your grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.
So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.
The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.
It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.
Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.
So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter is not what you bought but what you built, not what you got but what you gave.
What will matter is not your success but your significance.
What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.
What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage, or sacrifice that enriched, empowered or encouraged others to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.
What will matter is not how many people you knew, but how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.
What will matter are not your memories but the memories that live in those who loved you.
What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.
It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.
Choose to live a life that matters.

~Anonymous

Sunday, April 29, 2012

Saturday, April 28, 2012

James 1:2-4


James is one of my favorite books in the Bible.  It teaches that a Christian’s faith is reflected in their behavior and that every Christian will have testing and trials and tribulations and temptations and that testing and trials and tribulations and temptations will grow a Christian’s faith and also teach patience.

I well know that my behavior doesn’t always reflect that I’m a Christian.  Do I live in a way that brings glory to God?  Not always.  I am a sinner.  But, no excuses allowed here.  I am called to totally commit myself and my life to Jesus.  God created me to live for His glory, to fulfill His purposes for me. What can I do to fulfill His purposes for me?  Don’t hide my light under a basket.  Stay on the course.  Keep my heart focused on the Word of God and focused in prayer.  And, to know my life is totally committed to God.

Now, what about the testing and trials and temptations and tribulations?  Honestly, sometimes it’s hard to take.  When I became a Christian, I knew I would continue to have these things in my life.  Actually, I face even more now than before accepting Christ as my Savior.  Why all the testing and trials and temptations and tribulations?  There are times I loose hope and times I want to give up and times I get angry and times I just want to be left alone and times I feel so sorry for me, me, me.  Why?  I’m selfish.  Just look around me.  What do I see?  People who need the Lord, and many, many who don’t know Jesus as their Savior.   

Friday, April 27, 2012

Thursday, April 26, 2012

sharp thorns


Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV)

My God, I have never thanked You for my thorns. I have thanked You a thousand times for my roses, but never once for my thorns. Teach me the glory of the cross I bear; teach me the value of my thorns. Show me that I have climbed closer to You along the path of pain; Show me that, through my tears, the colors of Your rainbow look much more brilliant.

Lord, help me to remember to be thankful for the roses and the thorns, for the good and for the bad, for the joy and for the pain, for the pretty and for the ugly – all things in my life.
Author Unknown

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

His love...


When I feel exhausted or discouraged or helpless or suffering or emotionally drained or hurting or overwhelmed or weary...  I only need to look upward and to look inward and around me, there is God.  He’s always here.  I’m never alone.  He knows what path I’m on and He directs me to the path I should take.  His love is an Amazing Love!

Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10 NAS

Monday, April 23, 2012

Friday, April 20, 2012

quick quotes

 Hudson Taylor Quotes

Do not have your concert first, and then tune your instrument afterwards. Begin the day with the Word of God and prayer, and get first of all into harmony with Him.”

It is the consciousness of the threefold joy of the Lord, His joy in ransoming us, His joy in dwelling within us as our Saviour and Power for fruitbearing and His joy in possessing us, as His Bride and His delight; it is the consciousness of this joy which is our real strength. Our joy in Him may be a fluctuating thing: His joy in us knows no change.


Tuesday, April 17, 2012

always there

You’re Always There for Me

When the world comes crashing in
And chaos rules my mind,
I turn my heart to you, Lord,
And pure, sweet peace I find.
You lift me out of trouble
You comfort me in pain;
You nourish, heal and cleanse me,
Like cool, refreshing rain.
In times of joy and bliss,
When things are going right,
You lift me even higher,
And fill me with delight.
You listen to my prayers;
You hear my every plea;
I’m safe because I know
You’re always there for me.

Author Unknown

Friday, April 13, 2012

i need to hire molly maid

 i am liz
i am liz
liz i am

that liz-i-am!
that liz-i-am!
i do not like
that liz-i-am!



do you like
cobwebs and dust?

i do not like them,
Liz-i-am.
i do not like
cobwebs and dust.

would you like them
here or there?

i would not like them
here or there.
i would not like them
anywhere.
i do not like
cobwebs and dust.
I do not like them,
liz-i-am.


would you like them
in a house?
would you like them
with a mouse?

i do not like them
in a house.
i do not like them
with a mouse.
i do not like them
here or there.
i do not like them

anywhere.
i do not like cobwebs and dust.
i do not like them, liz-i-am

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

pause 'n ponder


Each Life Affects Another

We may not always realize
That every thing we do,
Affects not only our lives
But touches others, too!

For a little bit of thoughtfulness
That shows someone you care,
Creates a ray of sunshine
For both of you to share.

Yes, every time you offer
Someone a helping hand ...
Every time you show a friend
You care and understand ...

Every time you have
A kind and gentle word to give ...
You help someone find beauty
In this precious life we live.

For happiness brings happiness
And loving ways bring love;
And Giving is the treasure
That contentment is made of.

...Amanda Bradley

Monday, April 9, 2012

?

"If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?"
~Stephen Levine

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Sunday songs


Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! (from Luke 24:5-6)

He Lives

I serve a risen Savior
He's in the world today.
I know that He is living,
Whatever men may say.
I see His hand of mercy;
I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him
He's always near.
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Pause 'n Ponder

This life, therefore,

is not righteousness but growth in righteousness,
not health but healing,
not being but becoming,
not rest but exercise.
We are not yet what we shall be, but we are growing toward it;
the process is not yet finished but it is going on.

This is not the end but it is the road;

all does not yet gleam in glory but all is being purified.

~ Martin Luther

Sunday, April 1, 2012

sunday songs

(From the song 'You are my King' - Chris Tomlin)

I'm forgiven because you were forsaken
I'm accepted, you were condemned
I'm alive and well
Your spirit is within me
Because you died and rose again

Amazing love, how can it be?
That you, my King would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true
It's my joy to honor you
Amazing love how can it be?
That you my King would die for me
Amazing love I know it's true
Its my joy to honor you
In all I do
I honor you