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Keep Your Head

Keep Your Head

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Keep Your Head--Hope and Despair arrow signs pointing opposite directionsWhen life goes out of control, it’s hard to keep your head. Uncertainty leads to panic rather than patience.

Keep your head means to remain calm.

Although everything around you falls apart at the seams, you don’t. Instead, you find calm in the middle of the storms.

Keep your head does not mean you never feel stressed.

With so much turmoil in the world today, stress affects everyone. Daily news bombards us with updates on:

  • Wars
  • Price increases
  • Abuse
  • Disasters
  • Crime

Everything goes haywire. Yet you find personal control in the worst of it.

Rather than give in to problems, get a grip on solutions.

As a former teacher often said, “Think. Just think.” Apply the good sense God gave you.

Choose:

  • Faith over fear
  • Hope over despair
  • Peace over pressure
  • Calm in chaos

“But you, keep your head in all situations” (2 Timothy 4:5 NIV).

Thanks to Joanne Viola for the suggestion. Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay.

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Down the Road

Down the Road

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Down the Road--road leading into a greenery-covered tunnelWhen I was a child, several relatives lived down the road from us. My sister and I often walked to their houses to play with our cousins.

We also spent time wondering what God had down the road for our futures. Where would we live? What would we do?

Down the road has two meanings.

  1. On the same road or nearby
  2. In the future

This post will focus on the second meaning.

It pays to plan for what lies down the road.

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.” That quote or similar ones have been credited to Benjamin Franklin, Reverend H. K. Williams, and others. Yet, the source remains uncertain. Regardless of who first said it, the truth endures.

We face an uncertain future.

Although we want to plan, life offers no guarantees. Therefore, we prepare for our goals. Yet, we also prepare for life’s unknowns.

God remains with us both now and down the road.

In spite of life’s uncertainties, we can always count on God’s peace and presence. Whether our plans work out or go down the drain, God promises never to leave us alone. All we have to do is follow Him in faith.

 As we travel down life’s road, may we never stray from the straight and narrow.

“Mixed motives twist life into tangles; pure motives take you straight down the road” (Proverbs 21:8 MSG).

Thanks to Beckham Wilson for the suggestion and the photo.

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Hang On to Your Hat

Hang On to Your Hat

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Hang On to Your Hat--woman holding hat on a windy day. Puppy in foreground.Recent storms brought windy weather. As a result, you needed to hang on to your hat. You also needed to hang on to everything else around you.

To hang on to your hat means to prepare yourself.

Something is about to happen, and you want to get ready. Often, the event is unexpected and shocking. It may affect:

  • Individuals
  • Small groups
  • Large numbers of people

A similar expression tells you to hold on to your hat.

Life is full of surprises.

It frequently throws you for a loop with both pleasant and unpleasant changes. Like roller coaster rides, its twists and turns can thrill or terrify. Changes occur in:

  • Relationships
  • Employment
  • Weather
  • Health
  • World events

When life storms or trials occur, you may find it hard to hang on to your faith. 

Change throws you off balance. You struggle to understand. Yet, God uses every experience, good and bad, expected and unexpected, to help you grow.

Hang on to your hat and see where God leads.

Through even the hardest times, you may be pleasantly surprised.

“‘Where is your faith’ he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, ‘Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him’” (Luke 8:25 NIV).

Thanks to Judy Corbin for the suggestion and to Karen Atwood for the photo.

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See the Light

See the Light

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See the Light -- light over nativity“I see it!” I see the light!” When my brother was little, he loved lights. That was especially true at Christmas.

I share that love. Nighttime drives to view Christmas lights remain a favorite activity. They fill me with peace and joy.

To see the light means to finally understand or accept something.

Its meaning becomes clear. Until then, we may:

  • Think or wonder about an issue
  • Feel confused by it
  • Doubt it
  • Reject it

When we see the light, we change.

Understanding or accepting a new idea or belief affects our feelings and actions. We turn away from our previous behavior. We realize we have found a better way.

The Wise Men in the Christmas story searched for the light.

When they finally saw the star in the east, they followed it until they found Jesus.

To see the light often means to believe – to have a religious experience.

Such faith makes all the difference. The song, “I Have Seen the Light,” offers a beautiful description of that event.

Have you seen the light? If not, search for it today. If you have seen it, don’t leave others in the dark. Share the light of God’s love with them.

Merry Christmas!

“When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy” (Matthew 2:10 KJV).

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Image courtesy of  Pixabay

Bite the Dust

Bite the Dust

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Bite the Dust-oak treeI watched an old friend bite the dust last week. He had greeted me faithfully every day for years. Standing stately and tall, the mighty oak inspired me to do the same.

I knew my friend was dying.

He was many times older than me. With each new season, he grew weaker and suffered more losses. Yet, my heart hurt when he finally fell.

Oh, the stories he could have told, if only he could have talked.

  • Birds born in his branches
  • Children who played in his shade
  • Young love ignited with spring’s new growth
  • Seniors who smiled at memories shared
  • Death of people, plants, and pets

Bite the Dust-Fallen oak Tree trunk circlesLike the circles inside his trunk, so goes life.

We all die. Eventually we bite the dust.

However, death does not have to be the end.

When Jesus rose from His tomb on the third day, He defeated sin and death.

If we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, we receive His victory over sin and death.

He promises an eternal home in heaven when we leave this world.

Thank you for the reminder, dear friend. I will miss you.

“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 NIV).

Thanks to Jeri Stone for the photo of my friend before he bit the dust.

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Cold Feet

Cold Feet

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Cold Feet: Six uncovered feet at the foot of a bedMany of us live with cold feet. We don’t need winter, snow, or freezing rain. Our feet stay cold any time of year in any kind of weather.

However, cold feet means more than the temperature of our toes.

Cold feet freeze our plans or desires.

Cold feet refers to fear of doing something.

We lose our nerve. We get:

  • Discouraged
  • Shy
  • Anxious

Enthusiasm disappears. Cowardice replaces confidence. We wring our hands, afraid to do what we want to do.

A little fear can be a good thing.

It helps us:

  • Focus
  • Try harder
  • Avoid mistakes

Yet, cold feet paralyze us. They stop us in our tracks.

Faith overcomes fear.

Like socks or blankets warm our feet, faith covers us with courage.

We find support for our faith in:

  • The Bible and prayer for God’s strength (a perfect plan for every day)
  • Practice of what scares us (get our feet wet)
  • Encouragement from others (give it as well as receive it)

We choose. Will we freeze in fear or step forward in faith wherever God leads?

“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged” (Deuteronomy 31:8 NIV).

Thanks to Margaret Bertram for the suggestion. Photo courtesy of Unsplash.

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Heebie-Jeebies

Heebie-Jeebies

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Heebie-jeebies--two small frogsFrogs give me the heebie-jeebies. Big ugly frogs. Cute little frogs. All frogs. They jump too fast. Plus, a friend once had a frog get tangled in her hair.

I am working on my frog fear. Since these little ones were behind glass, I was brave.

Having the heebie-jeebies is no fun. They make us feel:

  • Fear
  • Anxiety
  • Uncertainty
  • Dread
  • Worry

We differ on what gives us the heebie-jeebies.

Frequent fears include:

  • Death, so we use words like kick the bucket.
  • Frogs or other animals, so we try to stay away from them.
  • Public speaking, so we let other people speak for us.
  • The dark, so we keep lights on all night.

A few of us fear or worry about everything.

We are afraid of our own shadow and stay tied in knots.

A certain amount of fear can be helpful.

Fear may cause us to:

  • Take care of our health
  • Stay away from dangerous animals
  • Avoid dangerous people
  • Watch our step in dangerous situations

 Faith leads us away from fear and worry.

Faith does not remove all our problems. However, if we trust Jesus, He will be with us through life’s troubles. Faith in Jesus also leads us to a home in heaven.

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10).

Thanks to Margaret Bertram for the suggestion.

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Free and Clear

Free and Clear

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Free and Clear--white houseIf we own something free and clear, it belongs to us.

We owe nothing for it. Many of us make house payments for years. After the final payment, our house belongs to us free and clear. That makes us feel free as a bird.

Sometimes we receive free and clear gifts.

We owe nothing for those gifts. They may come from:

  • Family
  • Friends
  • Neighbors
  • Anyone

Other times we give free and clear gifts.

When we hear of needs, we want to help. Therefore, we give and expect nothing in return.

We may also give for no special reason. We simply like to share.

Gifts may be large or small.

Many cost little or nothing, such as:

  • Notes
  • Crafts
  • Food
  • Flowers or vegetables from our gardens

People who sign up for my email list receive:

  • My weekly blog posts
  • News about my writing journey
  • Occasional gifts

The first email includes a link for a free copy of “Words of Hope for Days That Hurt.” I like to thank subscribers for their support. Small gifts help me do that.

God offers us the greatest gift of all.

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8 NIV).

What free and clear gifts do you like to give?

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Give of Ourselves

Give of Ourselves

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Give of Ourselves--child in Christmas boxOften the greatest gift we can give is ourselves.

To give of ourselves, we:

  • Give time
  • Show concern
  • Help others

During Christmas, we wrap gifts with paper and bows.

We buy:

  • Toys and games
  • Clothing
  • Books
  • Gift cards
  • Tools
  • Jewelry
  • Household items

We think we must:

  • Bake and make crafts
  • Shop until we drop
  • Attend parties and special events.

Yet, too often, we forget what matters most.

We get so busy giving things, we forget to give of ourselves. We

  • Neglect family
  • Have no time for friends
  • Do less than our best at work

What happened?

Isn’t the gift of self what Christmas is all about?

Jesus came as a baby to give Himself to the world. He died on the cross for the sins of the world. He offers the gift of eternal life to everyone. However, each person must choose to accept this greatest gift.

“I pray that as you share your faith with others it will grip their lives too, as they see the wealth of good things in you that come from Christ Jesus” (Philemon 6 TLB).

What is the greatest gift you ever received? Please comment.

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Thanks to Ashley Claunch and Megan Wollmann for the photo.

Hang On for Dear Life

Hang On for Dear Life

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Hang On for Dear LifeAn older cousin taught me to swim here. Her first lesson: how to kick.

She told me to find holes in the rocks to get a grip. I then raised my legs and kicked. If I let go, I went under the water. After falling and choking a few times, I learned to hold tightly – to hang on for dear life.

Occasionally my sister or another cousin yelled “snake.” Of course, I screamed and would hang on tighter then.

Eventually I finished my lessons. I still love to swim.

Sometimes our lives seem to fall apart at the seams. When that happens, we hang on for dear life to what matters most. Those hard times can teach us the most valuable lessons.

I now hang on to:

  • Family
  • Friends
  • Faith

I know if I lose the first two, I can survive with the third. The best part of placing my faith in Jesus: I don’t have to hang on for dear life. Jesus holds on to me and will never let go.

“I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand”  John 10:28 NIV).

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