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Caught Red-Handed

Caught Red-Handed

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Caught Red-HandedOne of my favorite cartoons features a cute little boy. His mom told him he couldn’t have a cookie. So what did he do? When he thought Mom wasn’t looking, he took a cookie, of course.

What he didn’t know: Mom was watching. He was caught red-handed.

He tried to deny his guilt. But they both knew better. He held in his little hand clear and undeniable evidence.

That doesn’t sound much different from adult behavior, does it?

Every day people get caught red-handed.

 Yet, they:

  •  Blame others.
  • Twist the truth.
  • Try to cover up the facts.
  • Deny the facts.

Everyone knows what happened and who did it. The evidence convicts them. Like someone with blood on his hands after killing a person or animal, they get caught red-handed.

What kind of example does that set for children and youth? How can adults expect young people to do what’s right if they don’t?

It’s time to set the standard for good behavior.

  • Admit guilt when wrong.
  • Apologize for damage done.
  • Correct the problem, if possible.

“I’m sorry.” “Will you forgive me?” Short simple words that need to be used more often.

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (James 5:16, ESV).

Thanks to my great-nephew Kaleb for modeling a behavior I’m sure he would never do.

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Building Bridges

Building Bridges

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Building BridgesSince the beginning of time, people have built bridges to get from where they are to where they want to be.

Or, they built bridges so other people could get to them. Either way, they made connections.

We sometimes forget that the greatest bridges cannot be seen with our eyes.

Emotional or spiritual connections can last longer than the best built physical bridge. Those lasting connections, however, demand work. We must be willing to:

  • Invest time and effort to stay in touch
  • Quickly correct any misunderstandings or problems
  • Accept one another’s imperfections
  • Confront issues that can’t be overlooked
  • Forgive each other’s failures

Building physical bridges can be messy.

Frequent difficulties include:

  • Bad weather
  • Delays in receiving building materials
  • Tired and grouchy workers
  • Unexpected expenses

Building emotional bridges can be far messier.

Relationship challenges include:

  • Multiple responsibilities
  • Limited information
  • Fatigue and bad moods
  • Illness
  • Financial strains
  • Personality differences

So, is the effort worth it?

Absolutely!

I continually give thanks to all who have loved me through good times and bad. I pray that I will always be there for them, as well.

In every relationship, we can learn from the greatest bridge builder of all.

He came from heaven to show us the way to join Him there.

“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me'” (John 14:6).

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Attitude of Gratitude

Attitude of Gratitude

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Attitude of GratitudeThe Thanksgiving holiday reminds us to express an attitude of gratitude.

During this special time, we take notice of and give thanks for our many blessings.

All too often, however, that attitude changes as easily as the seasons. Once Thanksgiving passes, so does our time of giving thanks.

Why not keep a thankful heart all year?

Why not focus on what we have rather than what we want? Why not view our glass as half-full rather than half-empty? Why be grumpy when we can be grateful? Why envy others who have more “stuff.” Why not be grateful we can share our “stuff” and then give some of it to someone who needs it?

  • Instead of building a bigger house, why not give thanks for a safe place to live.
  • Instead of buying a fancier car, why not be grateful for two good legs?
  • Instead of buying the latest tech toy, why not spend time talking to someone face to face?
  • Instead of eating too much, why not donate to the local food pantry. (See photo above.)
  • Instead of buying new clothes, why not recycle old ones? (Vintage is always in style.)

With all the money we save, think how much good we can do for others. As one song says, “Give it away.” Now that’s an attitude of gratitude and a great way to give thanks.

Will we allow thanksgiving to remain a one-day holiday or make it a lifestyle?

“Oh, give thanks to the God of heaven, for his loving-kindness continues forever” (Psalm 136:26 TLB).

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Bite Your Tongue

Bite Your Tongue

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Bite Your TongueBite your tongue tells another person to remain silent.

We might say bite your tongue to:

  1. Declare we don’t want to hear what the other person has to say. That person’s statement may or may not be true. For example, someone might predict a snowfall. If we don’t want snow, we say, “Bite your tongue!”
  2. Encourage someone to remain silent when another person hurts or displeases her. We will explore this meaning today.

People may hurt us, yet we can choose not to hurt them.

We can’t bite our tongue and talk at the same time. If we wait before we speak, we save ourselves and others much heartache. I don’t want to say something I will regret, do you?

Gossips or busybodies talk when they shouldn’t. They should bite their tongues. However, if we try to hurt them or anyone else because they hurt us, we only make the problem bigger.

Everyone benefits when we think before we speak or act.

Instead of fighting back with our words, why not try one of the following?

  1. Walk away.
  2. Count to 10 (or more) before we respond.
  3. Explain how the person’s words or actions made us feel, when we can do so calmly.
  4. Pray for the person.
  5. Say or do something nice for that person. We may gain a friend. If not, we still know we did the right thing.
  6. Try to understand why the person acts the way he does.
  7. Remember: We can’t control the other person, but we can control ourselves. Charles R. Swindoll said, “Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.”

“Help me, Lord, to keep my mouth shut and my lips sealed” (Psalm 141:3 TLB).

Do you have other helpful ideas for dealing with people who hurt us? Please comment below.

Thanks to Jenny Kuo for suggesting and modeling this expression.

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Bend Over Backwards

Bend Over Backwards

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Some people do whatever it takes to help others.

They bend over backwards for you. Bend Over BackwardsIn other words:

  • No task is too difficult.
  • No amount of time is too long.
  • No request is too unreasonable.

If they have the resources, they give them freely and cheerfully.

When people take advantage of those who bend over backwards, they continue to give.

They would rather help someone who doesn’t need help than miss someone who does. Although occasionally described as too kind, they disagree. They believe they’re merely doing what is right.

I wonder what our world would be like if everyone followed their example?

What if we made a habit of:

  • Helping one another.
  • Supporting one another.
  • Forgiving one another.
  • Encouraging one another.

Are you ready for a little back bending?

“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16, NRSV).

Thanks to Molly Sullivan for sharing her athletic skills in today’s photo.

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Don’t Borrow Trouble

Don’t Borrow Trouble

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Don't Borrow Trouble 1Are you a worrier?

Do you think nothing will get done unless you worry about it? If so, my friend, stop it! Don’t borrow trouble. You are causing yourself needless anxiety.

Several years ago, a baseball player offered a better approach. He declared, “Ain’t no need to worry!” (English teachers everywhere, please forgive the grammar. Pay attention instead to his philosophy.)

Worry neither prevents nor causes anything, except perhaps physical and emotional health problems.

  • If something’s going to happen, worry won’t stop it.
  • If it doesn’t happen, think of all the time you wasted.
  • Concentrate instead on what you can do.

We can make a difference if we:

  • Complete today’s work to the best of our ability.
  • Show love and kindness in all we do.
  • Thank God for each day’s opportunities.
  • Then, rest in the knowledge that our day was well lived.

I have to admit that worry still creeps into my life sometimes. Therefore, I have to continually tell myself not to borrow trouble. As is true of all my life, I remain a work in progress.

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes” (Matthew 6:34, MSG).

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Busy as a Bee

Busy as a Bee

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Busy as a Bee3We do well when we learn to be busy as a bee.

For a free lesson in useful activity, watch honeybees. They don’t just buzz around. They find food and water for themselves and their hives (bee community). They also help us.

You heard me right. We need bees. Don’t kill them.

We use their honey, honeycomb, and beeswax for food, makeup, and more.

Farmers need bees to pollinate their crops. Without bees, we would not have as much food or as many food choices.

Can you imagine life without flowers and their wonderful smell?

Busy as a Bee 4In addition, honeybees communicate by the way they fly. Their flight patterns give directions and other important information to the rest of their hive.

Honeybees complete the tasks they were created to do.

In the process, they help others, near and far.

If only humans did so well. Are you busy as a bee?

“I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1 NIV).

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Excess Baggage

Excess Baggage

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Excess BaggageIf you have flown recently, you know the financial cost of an extra suitcase or too much weight. In addition, who wants the backaches, delayed connections, and short tempers caused by excess baggage?

Frequent travelers learn to pack nothing but the essentials.

They leave everything else at home.

If we only did the same with the emotional baggage we carry.

Just like an overstuffed suitcase, excess emotional baggage carries great cost. When we let our negative feelings regarding past wrongs, real or imagined, control our lives:

  • We may have trouble getting and keeping jobs.
  • We tend to take our feelings out on innocent people around us.
  • People often avoid us and our bad tempers.
  • We may have difficulty sleeping.
  • We may suffer eating disorders.
  • We lose our ability to concentrate clearly.
  • We remain miserable until we work through whatever holds us back.

If we can rid ourselves of excess emotional baggage on our own, that’s great. If we need help, we should seek that assistance without delay.

As a combat soldier in an old television program frequently said, “Let it go. Just let it go.”

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7)

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Up a Creek without a Paddle

Up a Creek without a Paddle

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Up a Creek without a Paddle, kayak, Hongyan Li
Courtesy of Hongyan Li

During my childhood, our family loved to fish and swim. We lived near a creek that was ice cold on the hottest summer day. After hours of working outside, nothing felt better than jumping into that freezing water.

  • It took our breath.
  • We shivered from the shock.
  • Yet, what a wonderful, refreshing way to cool down.

We did most of our fishing from the banks (sides) of the creek. A few friends preferred fishing from boats. Most used motorboats, but some rowed with oars (paddles).

Circumstances sometimes left those boaters up a creek without a paddle.

The creek was narrow in most places. Therefore, they could usually reach the banks, if they dropped a paddle.

However, problems did occur:

  • Wide places left them far from the banks.
  • High water after a hard rain added to their danger.
  • Not all those boaters could swim.
  • Hardly anyone owned a life jacket.

Losing a paddle under those circumstances left boaters in trouble. They were up a creek without a paddle.

Life’s like that.

On most occasions we find solutions to our problems, but not always.

  • Difficult circumstances arise that we can’t fix on our own.
  • We see no way out.

We’re up a creek without a paddle.

How easily we forget that the One with the answers to all life’s hardships remains just a prayer away.

“And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NIV).

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Pretty Is as Pretty Does

Pretty Is as Pretty Does

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Pretty Is As Pretty Does“Isn’t she the prettiest thing you ever saw?” We say that about babies, toddlers, teens, and adults. We use the same words for puppies, kittens, and a host of other pets. Yet, that description can quickly change, if the person or pet’s behavior turns ugly.

We appreciate physical beauty. However, the most important beauty can’t be seen with our eyes. It comes from within. A strong moral character gives one a glow unlike any physical characteristic.

Some of the most beautiful people I know would never win a beauty contest.

Likewise, not everyone who could win a beauty contest lives a beautiful life. Both teach us that pretty is as pretty does.

Most of us want to look as good as possible. So, let’s stay clean, eat right, and exercise regularly. If beauty products help, why not use them? However, let’s not focus totally on what others see or what the mirror reflects. Let’s never forget the source of true beauty.

God made every person uniquely lovely.

Even so, that loveliness quickly fades with rude or hateful actions. In contrast, we enhance our loveliness with kind and helpful deeds.

The cute kitten above took part in a youth Sunday school class project. With permission, seventh and eighth grade girls took puppies and kittens from the local animal shelter to visit nursing home residents. Everyone enjoyed a fun-filled day. Those girls and their borrowed pets showed me once again that pretty is as pretty does.

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight” (1 Peter 3:3-4 NIV).

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