Sunday Thoughts: Excuses

"I find that when I think I am asking God to forgive me I am often in reality…asking Him not to forgive me but to excuse me. But there is all the difference in the world between forgiving and excusing. 

Forgiveness says 'Yes, you have done this thing, but I accept your apology...' But excusing says 'I see that you couldn't help it or didn't mean it; you weren't really to blame.' ...And if we forget this, we shall go away imagining that we have repented and been forgiven when all that has really happened is that we have satisfied ourselves with our own excuses. They may be very bad excuses; we are all too easily satisfied about ourselves." ~ "On Forgiveness," The Weight of Glory - C. S. Lewis

I find myself reflecting on how people 'create their own hell' by their actions but blame others for the pain caused by the consequences. 

Lewis causes me to think. People rationalize their behaviors and become like mad-men screaming at the top of their lungs "I'm not the problem. It's YOU. It's THEM. It's society. It's religion. It's my parents. It's...."

The simplest steps toward peace and out of our 'man-made hells' are just that...simple. Stop. Change. Ask forgiveness. Walk down a new path.

Sunday Thoughts: Images

In Mark, chapter 12, Jesus was asked: Is it right to pay the tax to Caesar or not?
But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.” They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”

“Caesar’s,” they replied. Then Jesus said to them, “Give back to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God's."

The question for each of us is, "Whose image is on me?"

Sunday Thoughts...on a Friday

We've all gone through times when we aren't sure why we go through certain things or why we go down certain paths. I don't often get a clear picture from God explaining 'why' and I figure if he wants me to see something, he will show me at the right time.

Sometimes it takes years before I learn a lesson from my life. Recently, however, I saw an immediate, crystal-clear lesson/reason and I'm so very, VERY thankful to God.

I can't share my details here for various reasons and frankly, I simply don't have the right words. Perhaps it's because my attempts to explain the situation would only cloud the facts that GOD IS GOOD and HE CARES FOR US.

Be still, and know that I am God... Psalm 46:10

Sunday Thoughts: I Need Thee

Sunday Thoughts: Comfort

Last night, I pulled out a chair and sat on my front porch in the dark. I sipped on a cup of tea as I reflected on the stressful day behind me.

Sometimes we need a good cry. Sometimes things seem they can't be fixed. We find ourselves emptied out emotionally.

So...I sat on the porch. For just a moment, I felt alone.

I heard two different kinds of frogs croaking. Crickets chirping. Whippoorwills calling back and forth to one another. Dogs barking in the distance.

'Life' was going on no matter what I was going through and I realized it would still go on, no matter the outcome of my little problem in my little corner of the world. I began to see how small the situation was and how big God is.

I looked up and saw the first star of the night. Clouds were obscuring it's view but it still shined through.

Remember, when you are in pain, you are not alone. The storms of life may weaken or even break you but there is always someone behind the clouds looking down on you, loving you, and wanting to comfort you.

Numbers 6:25-26  the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Sunday Thoughts: What if?

Sunday Thoughts: Meditation or Prayer

I was asked once when and how often I meditate. I realized then that people sometimes confuse how a Christian spends time with God.

The time we spend with God is called prayer. I do not believe that prayer and meditation are the same. Prayer is a time we empty ourselves before God and ask him for direction. It is a time focused on a relationship with Him.

I won't go into the various meditative methods but some use mantras and chants to reach a 'state of being' and usually a 'oneness' with an ultimate reality. My question is, what is the source?

We must consider these things:

When one prays, God is sought to reveal, heal, and direct.
When one meditates, self is sought to reveal, heal, and direct.

This is the danger...self.  If one is not seeking the divine God for inner peace, there is a danger in using self as god.

To this point, here is a quote from Deepak Chopra who is a very popular teacher in transcendental meditation. (from his book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success) "Success in life could be defined as the continued expansions of happiness and the progressive realization of worthy goals... Even with the experience of all these things, we will remain unfulfilled unless we nurture the seeds of divinity inside us. In reality, we are divinity in disguise, and the gods and goddesses in embryo that are contained within us seek to be fully materialized." (emphasis mine)

God should be and IS the source of morality, reason and peace. If we use self to guide us through life there can never be a true, lasting peace because the direction does not come from God, the divine source.

How do we know if it's self or God directing us?

Christians are told to delight in the law of the Lord and 'meditate' on it day and night. (Psalm 1:2) This means we are to study the Bible and seek God's will and direction through prayer.

In his book 'Why Jesus?', Ravi Zacharias, explains that people seeking to experience peace and a more positive life can’t find it in the New Age movements and meditations such as those encouraged by Deepak Chopra. (Zacharias' book is worth the read.)

In summary, I'll share this quote from Ravi Zacharias where he explained the difference between meditative prayer and New Age meditations to a caller:

“There is no I/You in transcendental meditation,” Zacharias told her, going on to clarify that if her husband was “looking inward in order to transcend himself,” rather than “meditating on the Word of God” for his direction and help then that was the error." (source)

Sunday Thoughts: Hope

My first Daffodil

I love daffodils. I love that I planted them once and they bloom every year. They remind me of my childhood where I'd pick handfuls for my Mom and Granny. Some bulb sets have never provided a bloom but there is always hope for the next year. I think I am reminded of hope with every spring and daffodil.

Hope. What a wonderful word!

Life throws us curve balls and sometimes it's easy to get caught up in worry and frustration. We all have times where these things get the best of us but it's best to just speak HOPE into the situations we are facing.

I found myself feeling upset this weekend but then felt 'hope' speak. For believers in Christ, we can know that "all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

I have to remember that nothing is impossible for God. Nothing man can do can interrupt His plan. No situation or life circumstance is without the potential for His saving grace and intervention.

Jesus is my HOPE.

Sunday Thoughts: Stone Soup

Have you ever had a deep hunger for something but didn't have all the ingredients to make the food?

The story of 'Stone Soup' is about a hungry person who had nothing but water, a fire, and a stone (a start). In the story the cook announced his hope to cook 'stone soup' and added a stone to the water in hopes that others would add the proper ingredients to make a hearty soup. In the end, the greedy people begin to share items and it fed all of them.

Stone soup is no good when cooked with rotten or missing ingredients. The soup will become a pot of sour water instead of something edible.

I've learned it's okay to walk away from sour water and take my stone with me. I choose not to throw my stone at anyone. Instead, I keep the stone as a reminder that my heart should never be hard or incapable of seeing my own mistakes and being able to say I am sorry for them.

It is not enough for others to stir the pot or stoke the fire and hope for soup. The wrong ingredients need to be taken out and the right ones added at the right time, even if it means burning your hands in the process. Follow the recipe and all will be fed.

Pride is bitter ingredient and one should be careful not to choke on it.

Sunday Thougts: A Candle in Darkness

I feel like a candle. A single flame burning, living. The darkness is surrounding me. The world is hollow, empty, black. It's winds howl and my flame flickers.

I strain my eyes to see anything but the glow from my own flame. Nothing but emptiness. I wait.

As I begin to despair, I see a small glow coming toward me. One candle joins me, then another and another.

Other flames begin joining me in the center of the darkness. Together we are a flame, a hope against it.

We turn inward to block the winds from snuffing out our flames.  The light from our candles no longer gets lost in the surrounding darkness, it becomes a focused beam that glows straight up to the heavens.

As we stand silently, we realize we are a remnant, a beacon that begs come, stand.


Matthew 5:14-16
14 "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Sunday Thoughts: Broken Treasures

Do you shop at second hand stores or thrift shops? I don't have many places to do that in my area but I love seeing the finds that bloggers bring home.

Sometimes the items people find are dirty, chipped, broken, but the buyer sees these items as treasures. They dust them off, glue together the pieces, and display the treasures that others didn't want. The broken vessels tell a story.

God sees us as treasures. Sometimes we are dirty and broken but he sees real beauty and potential inside us. We don't have to 'fix ourselves', we just have to let him take us and make us into the beautiful pieces he sees.

Our brokenness and reconstruction tells a story. I don't really understand why bad thing happen to good people BUT I do know God never leaves us, and IN and THROUGH our circumstances, he can turn our brokenness into something that can help other broken vessels.

God loves you...he ALWAYS has...he ALWAYS will.

Sunday Thoughts: True Colors

I remember a song called True Colors by Cindi Lauper. Sometimes when I see some one's true colors, I feel disappointment.

I've seen 'true colors' of people through their online communications. I don't think people, who claim they are Christians, realize how they come across, or maybe they don't care. They ruin their testimonies. They soil their own reputations. They come across as mean spirited and down right unloving. In fact, they tell others not to do the very things they themselves are doing. That is called hypocrisy.

I understand the need to express thoughts and opinion but it's not okay to demean others for their convictions behind their backs.

These behaviors are just a confirmation that some people are not as 'good' as they claim to be. They troll for conflict and debate. They curse too much and encourage too little. Anger dwells in hearts like these, not love. I do not have room for people like that in my life or in my online world.

James 1:26  Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.

Sunday Thoughts: Be 'Progressive'

Progressive: making progress toward something (good or bad)

A man from our bible study class was sharing how in the past, he could out drink or out cuss anyone. He knew Jesus but he had not really committed his life to him.

At one point, he said, he realized that Jesus was his Savior, but not his Lord. Once he gave his life to the Lord completely, he no longer desired his old ways. He progressed toward something good/ better. It's something to celebrate.

I think we all have seen people who progress away from 'good'. These people engage in destructive behaviors that are taking them farther away from a safe limit or from God's plan. It's truly sad and yet they celebrate their choices calling it 'freedom' all the while being enslaved by those behaviors.

None of us are pure or holy but when we give our lives completely to Christ, our desires should slowly change to what he wants us to be. This is the process of sanctification. With God's direction, he can put us on a path toward that goal.

We should be 'progressive', working toward something better. We should prayerfully ask God, seek guidance from scripture, and be willing to make him Lord over the things we need to let go.

Romans 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Sunday Thoughts, Tea Winnings, Stitch Start

I recently won a tea inspired giveaway from Marydon. She's just a doll and her giveaway so sweet! Here are the goodies all specially wrapped, then UNwrapped. Yes, I had 3 cups of tea and a cookie right away! Sorry no picture of me enjoying but I promise I was SMILING!

Thank you Marydon!

I have some stitching started but one thing is a gift. I can show you my start on All Hallows Eve by Prairie Schooler. Spooky, huh? ;-) I've decided to stitch in extra pumpkins where a witch would be in the corner. I am going to enjoy it.

Sunday Thoughts: I had a big post ready but decided to keep it simple. People talk a lot about judging others or NOT doing so. If a person doesn't want people to make judgements about them, they shouldn't make their goings on public for the world to see. I don't care if it's 'Honey Boo Boo' or one's blog or facebook.  I think some of these reality shows are scripted, but blogs and facebook aren't.

People need to realize we use what we see, hear, and experience as a guide to know if you are who you say you are. Cuss like a sailor, brag about getting drunk at a party, and claim to be a Christ follower?  I think it's time for some to look inward and at what they've done instead of telling others not to judge. I'm just sayin'....

Sunday Thoughts: Rainbows from Hurricanes

A couple of days ago, I was wanting to go for a walk but I saw dark clouds in the distance. I looked on the radar to see if I had time to finish my walk. I saw a small band of humidity coming our way from the horrible hurricane that hit parts of our country. I had time so I pressed on.

As I walked I saw a rainbow form in the distance where rain was falling. As I was reaching home, I heard gushes of wind coming from the East. Then I felt the mighty winds mixed with a few sprinkles of rain. I smiled. I began to feel refreshed. A double rainbow formed.

The thought hit me how while in the middle of the storm we can only see the storm. From a distance others can see the beautiful rainbow that is coming from another person's storm. These people, these friends, are the ones that can bring encouragement to those who can't see the rainbow yet.

It is so hard to think rainbows (better times ahead) when hurricane winds are wearing us thin. I hope that God shows us 'rainbows' after storms in life. He is our hope. He never promises life will be easy but he does promise to be with us if we reach out to him. Grab hold of his grace, hope, and mercy. Ask him to show you the rainbows in your storms.

Double rainbow seen after my walk.

Sunday Thoughts: Peace During Loss

I have a dear friend whose father is very sick. We are afraid he will not recover. I find myself wondering what I can do to help her when/if that happens.

Having a strong family support system is important when you loose someone you love. She has that. I've seen these families rally together before after a loss. They eat together and talk about their memories.

When we lost my Grandpa, my mom and her brothers attended the funeral and promptly went their own ways afterward. No meal. No memory sharing. No connection.

After we lost my Grandma, I asked my mom and my brothers to come by for a bit after the funeral. It just seemed so awful to just go to a funeral and while still dealing with the loss, find yourself even more empty afterward with no support. There was a time when I thought we would have what my friend has....

I am happy that when/if she experiences this loss, she will have people surrounding her with love and support. Most of all, I'm happy she and her family have the Lord in their life. He is their peace.

I implore you, if you need to reconcile with a loved one, do it now before it's too late.

Ephesians 2:14-16
For he himself is our peace, who has made the two groups one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility, by setting aside in his flesh the law with its commands and regulations. His purpose was to create in himself one new humanity out of the two, thus making peace, and in one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross, by which he put to death their hostility.

Sunday Thoughts: Simple Instructions

Our Sunday school class has been studying 2 Kings chapter 5. Naaman had Leprosy. I'm guessing he had tried everything to cure his ailment and had become desperate for healing. A servant girl said there was a prophet that would heal him so he went to him.

Naaman, with his horses and chariot stood at the door of Elisha the prophet. Elisha didn't go out to him but rather sent a servant to tell him "Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored to you, and you shall be clean."

Naaman was furious. He expected some grand announcement, a waving of the hand and something a little more flamboyant. He said, "Are not the rivers elsewhere better than all the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash there and be clean?" So he left in rage.

A servant came to Naaman and said, "If the prophet had told you to do something GREAT would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, wash, and be clean?"

It didn't make sense to him. It didn't seem logical. He couldn't understand how that simple action could be what he needed to do BUT...he washed as he was told and his health was restored.

Problems don't go away just because we choose to ignore them. We only compound problems when we are prideful and try to come up with 'our' plan rather than God's simple one. Sometimes God sends us a message through others and often that message is simple, but it will require us to be humble and submit to God's authority.

The simple instructions given by the Spirit through others may be just the thing we need to do for restoration.

Sunday Thoughts: Doing the 'Right Things'

Last week, my recycling bags finally fell apart on me. I recycled everything I had, including the bags, with every intention of getting new ones with my next town trip. I didn't.

At first, we left the empty bottles and cans on the counter. Then, when I threw away some of them, I felt bad. But as the days passed, it became easier. At the end of the week, I didn't hesitate to throw away things.

Got me to thinking... Falling away from believing or doing something we thought as 'the good/right thing' happens slowly over time. Eventually, it becomes easier and easier to disregard doing what we once considered the right thing. We rationalize why we no longer think/act the way we used to by substituting new thoughts/actions...but are those thoughts/actions 'right' in God's eyes?


"Often when we are struggling with how best to say we no longer believe what we once did, it is easiest to find one idea and either warp it or take it out of context and make ourselves heroes for being willing to renounce the unacceptable."  Ravi Zacharias in  his book, Why Jesus?: Rediscovering His Truth in an Age of Mass Marketed Spirituality

Sunday Thoughts: America and the Judeo-Christian Worldview

Since this is the weekend following Independence Day, I thought this a timely quote to share. Made by Ravi Zacharias in his book Why Jesus? Rediscovering His Truth in an Age of Mass Marketed Spirituality:

"The Judeo-Christian worldview provided the essential definitions for the founding of America, beginning with the conviction expressed by our founders that at its core life is sacred and that our legitimate rights as human beings have been endowed to us by our Creator. Which other worldview could provide that categorical statement? Naturalism? Pantheism? Islam? No Islamic Nation in the world operates with a belief in the inalienable right of liberty. Naturalism does not acknowledge a Creator who could endow us with inalienable rights. And pantheism, with its karmic bequest, does not see us as being created equal; instead pantheism assumes that we are born to a life of karmic repayment until the debt is paid."

Sunday Thoughts: God Save America

As the July 4th holiday nears, let it remind us to pray for America.