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Labor of Love

Labor of Love

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Labor of Love--university students around a dinner tableSome work we love. Some work we hate. Much work we do as a labor of love.

A labor of love means a job with no pay or bad pay.

Yet we do the work because we:

  • Want to help someone we love
  • Enjoy it

The job pays us in pleasure rather than money.

Labors of love for me include:

  • Cooking
  • Writing
  • Teaching Sunday school

I have never been paid to cook. Most people would not hire me. I cook because my family, friends, and I get hungry. For years I hated the job. Yet, I learned to like being chief cook and bottle washer. Now, watching people enjoy my meals gives me great pleasure. I want to follow in the footsteps of some of my favorite cooks.

 If I counted the hours I write, my pay would fall far below minimum wage. I occasionally write for no pay, if I believe in an organization’s work. I love writing better than I love eating chocolate. Believe me, that is amazing.

Teaching middle-school girls gives me more joy than receiving a paycheck. Most people do everything they can to avoid that age. Yet, I look forward to time with my girls every Sunday morning. I have known some of them since they were knee high to a grasshopper.

What about you? What are your labors of love? Please comment below.

“We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV).

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Burn Our Bridges Behind Us

Burn Our Bridges Behind Us

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Burn Our Bridges behind UsWe can’t go back when we burn our bridges behind us.

 An army occasionally burns bridges when it does not want its enemy to follow. However, that also means the army can’t return across those bridges.

Likewise, we burn our bridges behind us when we make decisions we can’t change.

We can’t undo them, just as we can’t unscramble eggs. For example, we might:

  • Get a tattoo
  • Quit school

Our behavior can also burn our bridges behind us.

Some actions make people want us to stay away. This often happens if we:

  • Yell at our boss and quit our job
  • Get a divorce

Rather than build bridges, we destroy them.

Sometimes we can repair burned bridges or build new ones.

Yet, the situation will never be the same. We try to make it as good as possible. Much like we mend fences, we rebuild our bridges.

That may mean we:

  • Walk through water until we build a new bridge
  • Cover our tattoo or have surgery to remove it
  • Return to school as an older student
  • Apologize to our boss or spouse

Water under the bridge means the past can’t be changed. What happened in the past may or may not have been our choice. However, when we burn our bridges behind us, we make the choice. Let’s be sure we want to live with the choices we make.

“If you repent, I will restore you that you may serve me” (Jeremiah 15:19 NIV).

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing

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A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing--sheep on a mountainWe read about a wolf in sheep’s clothing in Aesop’s Fables and the Bible. Both show the danger of an enemy who looks like a friend.

A wolf in sheep’s clothing looks harmless.

The sheep skin disguises the wolf. However, looks can deceive.

  • The wolf is not a sheep.
  • The wolf is still a wolf.

People with evil plans can look or sound harmless.

They hide their true colors and pretend to be friends. They:

  • Dress well
  • Speak with kindness
  • Act helpful

Yet, they are dangerous. They still have evil plans.

A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing 2--two wolvesWolves in sheep’s clothing can be found almost everywhere:

  • Work
  • Church
  • Families
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • School

Scams occur every day. They come to us through:

  • Telephone
  • Mail
  • Visits
  • Internet

As a result, we must be careful.

We want to love and be kind to everyone. We want to trust people. At the same time, we must not accept what we know is false.

Be prepared. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

  • Learn right from wrong.
  • If something does not sound right, check it out.

God gave us brains. We need to use them.

“Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves” (Matthew 7:15 NIV).

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Photos courtesy of Pixabay.

You Can’t Unscramble Eggs

You Can’t Unscramble Eggs

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You Can't Unscramble Eggs--Sue Davis PottsPlease welcome my friend Sue Davis Potts as today’s guest writer. Sue and I met at Kentucky Christian Writers Conference. She has been writing as long as she can remember. In addition to her two books, Sue writes for several magazines and anthologies.  Check out her website and blog, Potts Pages, for more details.

Sometimes we wish we could undo what we have done. However, not everything can be undone. Scrambled eggs are one of those things. No matter how much we want to, we can’t unscramble eggs.

You Can't Unscramble EggsSome things can’t be undone.

  • Broken egg shells can’t be put back together.
  • Mixed egg yolk and white can’t be unmixed.
  • Cooked eggs can’t be uncooked.

In cooking, scramble means mixed together. It also means to hurry. It doesn’t take long to scramble eggs that can’t be unscrambled.

When we hurry, sometimes we do things that can’t be undone.

  • Say angry words
  • Hurt feelings
  • Break trust

Our words can hurt people’s feelings. They may forgive us. Yet, they may feel sad or bad about themselves when they remember our words.

If we always hurry, we may not have time to keep our promises. This will make it hard for others to trust us.

God doesn’t want our lives to get so scrambled (in a hurry), that we hurt others.

He wants us to:

  • Take time to love others
  • Encourage others with our words

Then we won’t wish we could undo what we’ve done.

“Careless words stab like a sword, but wise words bring healing” (Proverbs 12:18 NCV).

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

We Catch More Flies with Honey than Vinegar

We Catch More Flies with Honey than Vinegar

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We Catch More Flies with Honey than Vinegar-honey in jars

We catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Set some honey near flies and watch what happens.

Nothing equals the sweet taste of honey.

Flies love it. So do people.

We don’t usually like the taste of vinegar by itself.

Think about what that teaches.

We get our needs met faster when we are polite.

Be sweet to other people.

  • Treat everyone as we want to be treated.
  • Show respect.
  • Speak and act with kindness.
  • Smile.
  • Give more than expected for good measure.

A bad attitude makes everyone feel worse.

We cannot act sour and expect everyone to treat us well. When we complain constantly, we should not expect good service.

Yet, one small act of kindness can make everyone feel and act better.

Watch what happens when a happy baby enters a room full of frowning adults. The whole room changes.

  • The baby laughs, waves, and tries to play with the adults.
  • Adults smile, wave, and play with the child.
  • Soon everyone has a great time.

We may not be sweet as a baby. However, we can be friendly. Let’s add a little joy to the lives of those we meet.

“Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24 NET).

Do you have an expression you want explained or a thought about this one? If so, please comment below.

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

In the Doghouse

In the Doghouse

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In the DoghouseDogs (especially puppies) often get in trouble. They:

  • Dig where they should not dig. We had a puppy dig a hole to the water line in our yard.
  • Chew things they should not chew. Our neighbor’s puppy loved our shoes and caps.
  • Jump on people at all the wrong times. Paw prints never look good on our best clothes.

When dogs get in trouble, their owners may put them in the doghouse.

Most dogs rather be with people than alone in their house.

Some people spend a lot of time in the doghouse.

They get in trouble with:

  • Bosses
  • Husbands or wives
  • Parents
  • Teachers
  • Friends

Because of their bad behavior:

  • Bosses give them more work or less pay.
  • Husbands or wives don’t want to spend time with them.
  • Parents take away fun activities.
  • Teachers give bad grades.
  • Friends stop being friends.

People in the doghouse don’t enjoy living a dog’s life.

Therefore, they need to watch their steps and stay out of trouble.

“For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age” (Titus 2:11-12 NIV).

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Knee High to a Grasshopper

Knee High to a Grasshopper

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Knee High to a GrasshopperMany of us love spending time with children who are knee high to a grasshopper. They are:

  • Small
  • Short
  • Still growing
  • So cute

We enjoy children’s smallness. Yet, we don’t like to feel small.

Most of us have moments we feel knee high to a grasshopper.

Because grasshoppers are so small, they appear unimportant. People pay little attention to them. Sometimes we feel unimportant. We think no one pays attention to us either. Other people appear:

  • Smarter
  • Better looking
  • More talented

We feel like low man on the totem pole.

We also feel small compared to the size of our world. How tiny we look compared to:

  • Mountains
  • Oceans
  • The sky

In addition, we feel small when we have done something wrong. We think we are:

  • Guilty
  • Worthless
  • Hopeless

Although small, both children and grasshoppers make a big difference.

 Children teach us to:

  • Have fun
  • Love
  • Trust
  • Learn

Grasshoppers destroy much we need or enjoy:

  • Gardens
  • Fields
  • Flowers

Regardless of our size, we all make a difference.

Therefore, what kind of difference will we make? Will we spread joy like children? Or will we destroy what we touch like grasshoppers?

God created our world and everything in it. Compared to God’s greatness, we all appear knee high to a grasshopper. Yet, God desires a personal relationship with each of us. How great is that?

“When I look up at the heavens, which your fingers made, and see the moon and the stars, which you set in place, Of what importance is the human race, that you should notice them? Of what importance is mankind, that you should pay attention to them?” (Psalm 8:3-4 NET)

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Photo courtesy of Pixabay.

Silence is Golden

Silence is Golden

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Silence is Golden: Miller Park As my dad used to say, sometimes we need “peace and quiet and very little of that.”

Silence is golden when we need quiet rather than noise.

Life gets too loud. Talk makes us tired. We need to get away. We need rest.

During those times, silence is worth more than silver or gold.

Often this occurs when we have been:

  • Too busy
  • Around too many people
  • Focused on electronics or other time thieves

Silence is also golden when we should keep our mouths shut.

We do need to speak up to correct wrongs. We don’t need to tell everything we know.

We make a bad situation worse when we say too much. Talking when we should stay quiet makes us look foolish. It often hurts other people. Better to bite our tongue than to be a busybody.

Therefore, take breaks from life’s noise.

  • Learn to practice quietness.
  • Think before speaking.

Find a peaceful place. Let its stillness wash the worries from your mind.

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be silent and a time to speak” (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 7 NIV).

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Afraid of His Own Shadow

Afraid of His Own Shadow

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Afraid of His Own ShadowDo you know anyone afraid of his own shadow?  He:

  • Frightens easily
  • Is afraid of almost everything
  • Has a hard time trusting anyone and anything
  • Is usually shy
  • Avoids other people, especially crowds.

No one wants to be afraid of his own shadow.

Some people make fun of a person with fears. They may bully him, which makes his fears worse. Other people feel sorry for him.

A person afraid of his own shadow needs courage.

Like the cowardly lion in The Wizard of Oz, he wants to be strong. He may try to hide his fear by acting brave.

Children often fear their shadow when they see it the first time. Yet, there is no real reason to fear. They simply need someone to help them understand their shadow and be brave.

There is no real reason for many fears.

Like children, an adult afraid of his own shadow needs help understanding the shadows that scare him. Some problems are real. Some are not.

When a person trusts God, God promises to be with him through both good and bad (scary) times. He can stand tall, unafraid, trusting God’s love and care.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you” (Deuteronomy 31:6 NIV).

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Heart of Gold

Heart of Gold

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Heart of Gold--a gold heartDo you know people who have a heart of gold? Why not honor them this Valentine’s Day?

I know most people think of romantic love on Valentine’s Day. So do I. Yet, why not show other kinds of love as well? I don’t know of any rule against that.

 People with a heart of gold give often.

They also give much. They are:

  • Kind
  • Friendly
  • Honest
  • Good natured

They give of themselves.

People with a heart of gold think of others before themselves.

They sometimes give away what they need, no strings attached. They love other people that much. Plus, they care for strangers as well as friends and family.

People with a heart of gold make good role models.

Think how wonderful the world would be if everyone showed that kind of love.

People value gold for its goodness.

Why not show caring people they are valued for their goodness too?

  • Thank them for their loving hearts.
  • Give them something they need or want
  • Give a gift to charity in their honor.
  • Hug them.
  • Take them to dinner.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10 NIV).

Who do you know with a heart of gold?

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