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Category: Peace

Cool as a Cucumber

Cool as a Cucumber

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Cool as a Cucumber--sliced cucumberSome people stay cool as a cucumber.

Whether good times or bad, they remain calm.

Cucumbers are mostly water, which keeps them cool. A slice of cucumber in a glass of water provides cool refreshment on a hot summer day.

However, cool as a cucumber does not refer to a cool temperature. It means people who rarely get upset.

  • Plans don’t go their way. They make other plans.
  • People mistreat them. They still treat those people well.
  • Losses occur. They give thanks for what they had.

They live an easy-does-it life and look for the light at the end of the tunnel.

Few things get them down.

When they do get down, they soon rise again and keep going. They know that nothing in this life lasts forever. Therefore, they make the most of the moments they have.

Cool as a cucumber people spread peace.

By staying calm and peaceful, they help people around them stay calm and peaceful.

Peace that never fails can be found when anyone lets go and lets God.

“[God’s] peace will keep your thoughts and your hearts quiet and at rest as you trust in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 TLB).

Thanks to Janna Babak for the suggestion.

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Preaching to the Choir

Preaching to the Choir

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Preaching to the choir--church choir in robesPastors don’t need to convince believers to accept Jesus. That would be like preaching to the choir. Believers have already made that choice.

Preaching to the choir means trying to get people to accept an idea they already believe.

 Why try to convince them when they:

  • Share the same opinion
  • Support the same cause

Some people compare this to kicking an open door. The door stands open. No one needs to kick or knock on it.

  • Doctors don’t need to be told people get sick.
  • Teachers don’t need to be told children’s minds wander.
  • Judges don’t need to be told people break the law.

They already know that.

Preaching to the Choir--children and adultsTo spread a message, the messenger must go to those who:

  • Have not heard it
  • Do not believe it
  • Need to learn more about it

Preaching to the Choir--children's choirOf course, people enjoy sharing the same beliefs. Choir members sing and praise God with other believers. True worship makes them all ears to God’s message. It warms the cockles of their hearts.

However, they also take their message outside the church. They want to share it with people who have not heard.

“The master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled’” (Luke 14:23 ESV).

Thanks to Darrin Jenkins for the suggestion and to Campbellsville Baptist Church and Joan Tinnell for the photos.

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A Month of Sundays

A Month of Sundays

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A Month of Sundays--calendar with Sundays circledA month of Sundays means a long time.

 “I haven’t seen you in a month of Sundays” was a common greeting where I grew up. This often happened with:

  • Out-of-state relatives who visited once a year
  • People who went to school together years earlier
  • Grandparents who had not seen grandchildren for a few days

They meant the time between visits seemed to last forever.

A month of Sundays also means something will never happen.

If invited to pet a snake, many might reply, “Not in a month of Sundays.” They never plan to do it.

God gave Sundays for worship and rest.

Worship allows people to focus on God. Rest gives them a pick-me-up after a hard week of work.

Years ago on Sundays, many churches did not allow:

  • Games or sports
  • School or community events
  • Shopping
  • Work, except emergencies
  • Anything much except church attendance and quiet rest

Therefore, some people thought Sundays lasted a long time. A month of Sundays would have felt extra long.

I fear people today have gone too far the other direction. They burn their candles at both ends. As a result, they stay tired and stressed without God’s day of rest.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy” (Exodus 20:8 NKJV).

Thanks to Carole Fite and Darrin Jenkins for this suggestion. Thanks also to Taylor County Bank for the use of their calendar page with Larry Smith’s photo.

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In the Books

In the Books

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In the Books--children's libraryWhen we want to check if something happened, we look in the books.

Anything in the books is a matter of record.

It is:

  • Completed
  • Finished
  • History

For example:

  • A new year begins. The old year is in the books.
  • Lawmakers pass a law. The law goes in the books.
  • A person retires. Her job is in the books.
  • Someone dies. His life goes in the books.
  • People turn over a new leaf. They put their old habits in the books.

Not everything in the books is correct.

Mistakes happen. Just because we see something in writing does not make it right. Therefore, we want to check for truth.

However, we can always trust one book.

The Bible shares God’s truth with the world. We want to go by the book with that book. Therefore,

  • Open it.
  • Read it.
  • Live it.

God remains ready to give us a fresh start anytime, anywhere. If we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, our future is secure. Our salvation is complete or in the books.

“I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books” (Revelation 20:12 NIV).

Thanks to Sue Davis Potts for the suggestion.

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Pie in the Sky

Pie in the Sky

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Pie in the Sky--cherry pie held up to the skyJoe Hill wrote about pie in the sky in his 1911 song, The Preacher and the Slave. His song criticized religious leaders who told people about heaven but ignored their physical needs.

Pie in the sky refers to a good future, usually after death.

However, that often means a bad life now with slim pickings. People wait and hope for better times.

Pie in the sky also means false hope, such as:

  • Plans or ideas that will never happen
  • Promises that will not be kept
  • Dreams that will never come true

Pie in the sky ideas sound good, but they seldom happen in real life. Wishes don’t make them occur.

People need more than pie in the sky.

Everyone should prepare for life after death. Yet, everyone also suffers real needs now.

Jesus showed how to balance the two.

Prepare for the future.

  • Accept Jesus as the way to heaven.
  • Live and teach as Jesus lived and taught.

Make a difference now.

  • Feed the hungry.
  • Care for the sick.
  • Give hope to the hopeless.
  • Help pick up the pieces of broken lives.

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me’”(Matthew 25:34-36 NIV).

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Thanks to Brad Leverett for the suggestion and to Lauren Gordon with Gordon Goodies for the photo.

Warm the Cockles of My Heart

Warm the Cockles of My Heart

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Warm the Cockles of My Heart--bowl of seashellsTo warm the cockles of my heart, something makes me happy.

I never use this expression. I do say something gives me a warm, fuzzy feeling. The two expressions mean almost the same. Deep inside, I feel:

  • Good
  • Content
  • Warm

I have no cockles in my heart.

No one does. So how did this expression start? wiseGEEK and other sources offer these two possibilities:

  1. The “Latin description for the heart’s chambers, cochleae cordis.” Cockles became a slang word for cochleae.
  2. Mollusk shells (cockles) and the human heart have similar shapes. (See photo.)

They give other ideas, but these two seem most common.

The following warm the cockles of my heart:

What about you?

What warms the cockles of your heart? Please comment below.

On Valentine’s Day and every day, may life warm the cockles of your heart.

“We know how dearly God loves us, and we feel this warm love everywhere within us because God has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 TLB).

Thanks to Carole Fite for the suggestion.

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At the End of the Day

At the End of the Day

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At the End of the Day--sunset over treesAt the end of the day means our final conclusion.

We have considered everything. We have:

  • Discussed
  • Analyzed
  • Experimented
  • Then made our decision

At the end of the day, we choose.

  • Who will share my life?
  • What will I do?
  • Where will I live?
  • When will I do what needs to be done?
  • How will I treat others?

We make our at the end of the day decisions any time of day.

  • Morning
  • Midday
  • Evening
  • Night

The time matters little, but, at some point, we must decide. We cannot ride the fence forever.

Our at the end of the day decisions show what we value most.

Will we choose:

  • Money
  • Status
  • Power
  • Popularity

Or will we choose:

  • A relationship with God
  • Time with family
  • Making our world a better place

As the song “When It’s All Been Said and Done” reminds us, only what’s done for love lasts.

“Jesus replied: ‘“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” (Matthew 22:37-40 NIV).

Thanks to Margaret Bertram for the suggestion.

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Deck the Halls

Deck the Halls

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Deck the Halls, Christmas villageDeck the Halls is a traditional Christmas and New Year’s song.

As sung in this video, the original version was Deck the Hall (not Halls).

However we sing it, the message remains the same: Tis the season of joy.  Therefore, we decorate with signs of the season. We also celebrate with:

  • Music
  • Gifts
  • Church services
  • Visits with family and friends
  • Parties
  • Food
  • Santa Claus
  • Elves and reindeer
  • Helping people in need

We deck the halls, but so much more.

 Trees, lights, and other Christmas symbols decorate our:

  • Houses
  • Businesses
  • Parks
  • Churches
  • Bridges
  • Everywhere we look for weeks before and after Christmas

Why Bother?

What’s the big deal about Christmas anyway?

We get so busy decking halls, we sometimes forget the reason why. And it is a big deal.

Jesus came, God to earth, in the form of a baby.

Jesus came as our Savior, to die for our sins. His gift to all who accept Him: a personal relationship with God and a home in heaven.

We can deck the halls and more, if we wish. We can keep our decorations simple, if we wish. However we celebrate this special time of year, may we always remember why.

Merry Christmas!

“A child shall be born to a virgin! And she shall call him Immanuel (meaning, “God is with us”)” (Isaiah 7:14 TLB).

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Turn a Blind Eye

Turn a Blind Eye

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Turn a Blind Eye--child sneaking Christmas cookies off a plateTo turn a blind eye, we ignore something.

We pretend not to see it or know about it. However, we do see and know. We simply don’t want to do anything. We sweep it under the rug.

To turn a blind eye to small issues may cause no problem.

  • Children sneak a bit of food before dinner.
  • Families have small disagreements.
  • People make embarrassing mistakes.

To turn a blind eye to larger issues may cause great problems.

  • Children (or adults) have little or nothing to eat.
  • Family members suffer abuse.
  • People bully a disabled person.

We must take action when people suffer.

First, we figure out what we can do. Then we do it.

“Whoever gives to the poor will lack nothing, but one who turns a blind eye will get many a curse” (Proverbs 28:27 NIV).

Thanks to Frank Cheatham for the suggestion and to Barbara Snow for the picture.

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Immediately If Not Sooner

Immediately If Not Sooner

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Immediately If Not Sooner, St. Lawrence River International BridgePatience is not my greatest strength. Most of the time, I want everything done immediately, if not sooner. I want it done now, but I wish it were already done.

That seems true for many of us.

We want everything fast:

  • Food
  • Information
  • Service

We don’t like to wait.

A right smart of patience would do us all good. Instead, we tie ourselves in knots with worry. because we can’t get everything done as fast as we want.

We become content when we begin to enjoy each moment.

With an easy does it state of mind, we:

  • Learn from the past
  • Do what we can today.
  • Look forward to what the future holds.

Like crossing a bridge on a family vacation, we enjoy the ride.

Above all and at all times, pray for and follow God’s direction.

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer” Romans 12:12 NIV).

Thanks to Jan Abbott for the suggestion.

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