God’s Love Is Better Than Acrylic Paint!

Have you ever felt stress? Have you ever been hit by a tension headache? Have you ever felt your blood pressure rise because of something that was terribly upsetting? It is certainly no fun to have to deal with these types of life events. No one enjoys them. So, how do we deal with things like this?

God is the answer! He loves us and He does not want us to go through life suffering. He wants us to turn to Him first and in all things. We need to pray throughout the day, each and every day. And we need to read the Bible. God’s word will never change and it is always there for us, ready to comfort, encourage, and challenge us.

God also has sent things to each of us to help us through hard times. We all have things we enjoy. Think about the healthy, positive habits in your life that help you. Some people play sports, some people sing, some play musical instruments, some like to read, etc. For me, I love to paint.

Painting brings me closer to God. I absolutely love acrylic paint and it reminds me of God. Acrylic paint is beautiful. The colors are splendid! I get positively giddy when I get a new canvas and open my jars and bottles of acrylic paint. It helps me relax and I can praise God by painting some of the lovely things He made for us to enjoy.

There are different types of paint and each artist has his or her own opinions of what is the best. For me, nothing can compare to acrylic. It is easy to work with and very forgiving if you make a mistake. This reminds me so much of God. He is easy to work with, always there when we need Him. He is full of color and inspiration. And, He will always forgive us. He is all about forgiveness.

When I paint, it just makes the day better and brighter. It helps bring my life into focus. It is a great time to pray. And, when I am finished, I have something to show for my work and time and effort.

No matter what you do to deal with stress, it is important to deal with it and not let it run your life. Keep the focus on God and ask Him to show you how you can find positive ways to get rid of stress and its unpleasantness in your life.

For example, people who workout to relieve stress report that the feel better afterward. It is a healthy, positive way to deal with stress and it helps keep your body healthy. This helps to honor God by taking care of the body that He gave you.

This week, I challenge you to spend some special alone time with God. Praise Him for all He has done for you, and all He is continuing to do in Your life. Ask Him to help you find good, positive ways to deal with stress. For me, no matter how much I love my painting, it can’t compare to how wonderful God is. May you feel it, too! Be encouraged and be blessed!

God Is Even Better Than Lansinoh!

Have you ever had a cut, a scrape, or a burn? Have you ever had to tend to a loved one who had a cut, a scrape, or a burn? It is no fun, is it? Of course not. And, unfortunately, we all have those types of accidents from time-to-time. If you are clumsy like me, you may even have more than your share of mishaps.

I remember when our daughter, Bella, was born. As first-time parents, my husband, Rob, and I were like two little shaky Chihuahuas. Well, at least I was like a shaky Chihuahua. We really appreciated the advice of the doctor. One handy piece of advice she gave us was to stock up on Lansinoh. Up until then, I had never even heard of Lansinoh. It’s been touted as a “miracle” for new moms, but has also been highly recommended as something everyone should keep on hand in case of cuts or other minor mishaps.

Over the years, with two active kids, we have had our fair share of cuts and scrapes and even some minor burns. We love Lansinoh. It is an incredible product. It is all-natural and I am convinced it helped to prevent my kids from being left with scars after some accidents.

Bella took a pretty nasty fall about three weeks ago. She was turning around on our driveway, and somehow just fell off her bike. She landed on her face in her new glasses. Thankfully, she was wearing her helmet. After getting her bloody nose and arms cleaned, we slathered her in Lansinoh. By now, the kids know the drill. When the Lansinoh comes out, they hold still and let us put on as much as we think they need, depending on the size of the injured area.

That made me think about God. As much as I value and appreciate what Lansinoh does for us, it can’t even begin to compare to the all-encompassing healing power of our Creator. God can heal any hurt. He can repair any scar. He can turn anything bad in our lives to good.

When I look back on my life so far, I am breathless as I look at the “hurt places.” Those were often the times that God was at work the most in my life. He was working through those painful moments to refine me, and to bring me closer to Him and, often, He was helping others through what was happening to me.

This week, I encourage you to take your scars and pain to God. Spend some quiet time alone with God, praying and reading the Bible. Ask Him to heal you and take away anything and everything that is hurting you, even if it is from a long time ago. Then, leave it at the foot of the cross. Nothing is too big for God to handle. When you do this, you will see the true healing power of our mighty and loving God. Be encouraged and be blessed!

Hypocrite or something else?

I haven’t posted anything on here in a long time.  For one, I haven’t had too much free time and secondly, I have been pondering lots of things about my Christian walk.  Am I hypocrite or just stumbling or something else?

A verse I meditated on and thought I was basing my life off of was 1 Cor 11:1, “Follow my example as I follow the example of Christ.”  However, looking at how I live my daily life, it doesn’t mirror Christ.  Of course I know I will never be perfect or even come close to the example of Him, but I could be pursuing that path more diligently.  Regardless, I feel like I fall terribly short of what I could/should be doing.

For example, my language.  I am a career military man in a roughneck profession, aircraft maintenance.  We are a breed of people who are not afraid to speak our minds…good or bad.  Most people in this career field use four letter words as adjectives and often.  I sadly and often subscribe to this maintenance vernacular.  Although, I somehow control myself at home and everywhere else, it is still an issue.  I don’t think many of my colleagues would sit back and say, “there goes a Christian man.”

Now, I have zero doubt of who Christ is and what He did for my sins.  I believe I have a good heart and genuinely care for others.  I feel empathy at my core when I see others suffering.  How is it that a man of faith can stumble so?

Looking at my peers who are also Christians and there are not very many who I can say live 1 Cor 11:1 but their beliefs are solid and they love God with all they are just like I do.  What is it that we are missing?  Am I alone in this search?

Waiting, Waiting, and Waiting . . . Making It Worthwhile For God

How do you feel about waiting? What do you think about standing in line? What about hanging out at your doctor’s office, sitting on the very edge of your seat each time the nurse opens the door to call the next patient? Most people absolutely despise waiting. Some people dislike it so much that it makes their blood pressure rise.

What about making all of that undesirable “wait time” worthwhile? And, while we are all at it, why not make it worthwhile for God? Well, how in the world can we do that? Why not keep a copy of the Bible with you to read? You can even download it right to your phone! Of course, some waiting situations aren’t the best for Bible reading, but some are just right.

You can also use wait time to pray. Next time you are stuck in the doctor’s office, take a subtle look around. There will be people around you who have minor aliments, and some who may have a life-threatening illness. No matter what is going on, we can all use prayer, and the more, the better. Use some of that waiting time to lift up the other people sitting around you. Ask God to show up and show off in their lives in such a real and profound way that everyone who knows them will have to understand that God is the One who took care of them! Just think, by doing this, you might be the only person who prays for them on that particular day!

You can also use your waiting time for making answered prayer lists. I love to do this. Do an inventory of your recent prayer requests and think about how God has answered you. He will answer you. Of course, He will do it in His way and in His time, but He will reply. He will never leave you hanging. When you actually see it written down, you will be comforted when you see all He has done for you.

Another thing you can do to make your wait time productive, is to see who around you needs some love. For example, if you are in line at the grocery store and your cashier looks frazzled, give them some kind words. Pray and ask God to direct you regarding what to say and how to say it. Or, perhaps a fellow customer is having a tough day. Your kind words might make all the difference for them. You never know, but sometimes YOU just might be the only bright spot in someone’s whole day. Now you wouldn’t want to miss being able to do that for someone, would you?

This week, I challenge you to look at waiting as a blessing. Use that time to do something worthwhile for God. Pray, reflect on His wonderful blessings in your life, ask Him to help those around you, and offer up some kind words to those around you. Read your Bible if you can. Whatever you do, make it count for God. Be encouraged and be blessed!

Happpy Birthday, Anyway, to YOU!

Birthdays. Everyone has one, even if you want to deny it. With every year that passes, we get a year older, and hopefully, a year wiser. The “wiser” part doesn’t always work out, but, as long as we are alive, we can keep plugging away at it.

Every breath we take, every heartbeat, every day, every year, is a gift from God. How we use that time is a way to worship and serve our wonderful Creator. Every day that we wake up we should ask God how He wants us to serve Him on that particular day.

A lot of people use their birthday as a time to go crazy. They say they “deserve” to cut loose and go wild after the year that have just survived. Others choose to reflect of the previous year, both the good and the bad. They look ahead to the future with excitement and look forward to seeing what will happen next?

What makes the difference in how people approach birthdays? It’s all in the attitude. It is a matter of the state of your heart. When your life is in balance with God, your whole perspective, your entire attitude will reflect that. When you are focused on yourself and what is “wrong” in your life, that will be clear to others.

As Christ followers, it is our blessing and our duty to understand that our lives belong to God. We are here to worship and serve Him for as long as He deems us to have breath in our bodies. The Bible tells us in Luke 12:7 (NIV), “Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” We can learn from this verse that we are very important to God. He “keeps up with us” and we do matter to Him, even though the world may try to tell us something different.

I once heard someone say that when you are on your deathbed, you won’t take time to wish you had made more money or accumulated more stuff. That really felt profound on many levels. Life is all about relationships. Your relationship with God through Jesus Christ is more important than anything. It will affect everything else in your life. After that, your relationships with your family members and friends ranks very high. Those relationships are what will last and what will carry you through this life.

And, with every year that passes, hopefully, those relationships will grow deeper. With each birthday, those relationships in your life will take on an even deeper meaning.

I challenge you to look at your birthday with gusto. Even if you have had a tough year, it was a gift from God. Spend time with our wonderful Creator and praise Him for all that has happened to you in the last year, even the challenging times. Ask Him to help you learn lessons from the hard times and to use those lessons to help others. Then, wait to see what He will do. Be encouraged and be blessed!