Learning to Laugh

A merry heart doeth good [like] a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (KJV)

Teasing:

My husband and I... we love to tease each other. He is amused with my quirkiness for the Christmas season. Yes, I listen to Christmas music and watch Christmas movies year round! Favorite color: red. Got married in December. I am drawn to ANYTHING "Christmas-y"!! (86 days til Christmas!)

I tease him about sports (GO-Hawks!) and technology. He knows everything about his football team and baseball team! He almost an entire outfit dedicated to the Seahawks team! He loves anything that is techy. He has a Macbook and iPad. He just recently got the new iPhone 6 plus!

He keeps me laughing with these two passions, just as I keep him laughing with all of mine (I have many quirks!).

Laughter:

Having a merry heart is good for you! It's important to find amusement in the world around you. What amuses you? 

Your Spouse?

Your children?

Your own personality (OCD)?

Your childhood memories?

Your talents?

Your accidents?

Learn to laugh every day! :D

One Year Left

"He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus." Revelation 22:20 KJV

Observing the Time:

A while ago, I was listening to a series about "End Times". It was a very long series and I only watched two or three episodes. The speaker shared many Bible verses concerning the "Last Days" and then showed videos/photos about how the Bible verses were coming true. Yes, I know that NO MAN when the Lord will return, but God does gives us signs and tell us to watch. (Mark 13:32-37) 

Dictionary definition for "Watch": 

"to be alertly on the lookout, look attentively, or observe, as to see what comes, is done, or happens:"

God also wrote Revelation to reveal to us the END TIMES timeline. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand." Revelation 1:3 KJV

What IF?

.... "You only had ONE YEAR LEFT?"

What if next September the Rapture happens? What if we are called home to heaven? What if this school year was the last year of your life? 

See this question has been bugging me for the last few months. God tells us to "number our days". (Psalm 19:12) After the Rapture, we will all give an account on how we lived our lives. We will stand individually before Almighty God and be judged according to our works. (This is for saved believing Christians.)

The question I ask you (and myself): "How will I spend my days for the LAST YEAR of my LIFE?"

Ecc. 12:13 says "Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."

What things would you change about your life? Do you please self or God? Do live for the temporal lusts or eternal benefits? (Matt. 6:33) Are you being lazy or are you actively serving the Lord?

MY CHANGE:

I am convicted daily to share something. Each day I meditate on a new thought that God wants me to share. (Jeremiah 20:9) So I will do my best to DAILY share something with you, my reader. 

If I only have a year left... let me share with you God's wonderful works in my life and the lessons He teaches me.

YOU:

What would you do if you only had ONE YEAR LEFT to live?

Sing Praise

"Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works." 
2 Chro. 16:9

Mondays:

Good morning! Mondays are challenging, aren't they? It's the beginning of another hard work week. Tasks and chores, endless lists and to-dos... 

How can you start your week right and positively?

SING!!

I love singing hymns, Bible songs, and even Christmas songs! They lift my spirit and my mood. :D My daughters are learning Bible songs... and whenever they sing them, my heart is lifted. The lyrics of these songs are true and encouraging! Read them, sing them, and hear the message that they teach!

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." Col. 3:16

KID'S SONGS:

* Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!...

* Whisper a prayer in the morning... whisper a prayer at noon...

* He's got the whole world in His hands....

* A merry heart doeth good like a medicine...


HYMNALS:

* Standing on the Promises of Christ my King...

* Tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart ev'ry word...

* Because He lives I can face tomorrow, because He lives all fear is gone...

* Some glad morning when this life is o'er, I'll fly away!...

* Amazing grace-how sweet the sound-that saved a wretch like me!...


CHRISTMAS SONGS:

* Angels, we have heard on high, sweetly singing o'er the plains...

* Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King...

* Angels, from the realms of glory, wing your flight o'er all the earth...

* Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head...

What are some of your favorites? Do you have a song in your heart today?

"Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." Eph. 5:19

Death of a Butterfly

"Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee?" Matt. 18:33

Observe:

I love watching butterflies fluttering in backyard. They are tiny and elegant. They are beautiful! God has designed them with such gorgeous details on their little wings. Capturing a picture of these little creatures is challenging, near impossible. 

As I looked out my window today, I saw a small white butterfly frantically fluttering about in one place. It was in trouble. I ran out to see if I could help..... but it was too late. It had been captured by a spider who was devouring it. I was angry! I wanted to rescue it but stood helplessly unable to do anything.

Innocent Blood:

"He sitteth in the lurking places of the villages: in the secret places doth he murder the innocent: his eyes are privily set against the poor." Psalm 10:8

I try not to watch the news or read stories that are hard to bear, but lately it's been hard not to hear ALL the evil in this world. I read about Christians being killed brutally. I hear about children being murdered here (via abortion). It breaks my heart. I listen helplessly. So much innocent blood.

GOD:

Then I read my Bible and was encouraged by this verse: "He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD." Psalm 113:7 I keep my eyes and mind focused on the Lord.

Prayer and Compassion:

I pray for those who are weak or helpless. (James 5:13, 16) I pray that GOD will be with them and will avenge them. (Psalm 56, 102:17, 37:13) I pray that GOD will protect them. I pray that GOD will forgive our wickedness. (2 Chr. 7:14)

"Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." James 1:27 

Another important thing we can do is to visit and care for those who are needy. We can have compassion on others. We can love them unconditionally and encourage them. Before Jesus feed the multitude, he had compassion on them. He realized they need someone to care for them. (Mark 6:34) 

Even the Samaritan saw the man who was afflicted and care for him, out of his pocket and with his own hands. (Luke 10:26-37)

How do you care:

A widow? 
A fatherless child? 
A needy person? 
A unsaved friend? 
The poor? 

The innocent?
The lonely?
The brokenhearted?
The weak?

OTHERS?

A Forgiven Life

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Bondage:

Is there someone you are frustrated with or someone who has hurt you? Is there someone who you are continuously bitter/angry at?

When I was younger, I felt deeply hurt by someone close to me. Afterwards I became bitter and angry, and for several years, I would dwell on all the pain and heartache that I thought this person had caused me. I would easy get upset and frustrated whenever the name/situation was mentioned. I wanted to hear an apology. I wanted to be justified. I wanted things to be fixed.

The problem was not the other person...........

It was me. What I didn't realize was that I was holding on... when I really needed to LET GO. I had been living with long-term unforgiveness.

Freedom:

God says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. We are not perfect. We fight with others. We worry and get upset. We lie and cheat to get our way. (Exodus 20) We are selfish. We are sinners, YET God still loves us and Jesus still died for all of our sins! (Matt. 6:14-15)

Recently, a friend of mine came up to visit family and had told me prior that I would be able to see her. I was excited and anticipating a long overdo visit! :D During the time that she was here, I hadn't seen her or heard from her. I was crushed and frustrated. I thought I wasn't important enough... It hurt, but I loved her and cared MORE about our friendship, so I forgave her immediately. When she got home, she explained they were out of range for cell phone service and she felt terrible for not getting together with me. I had already forgiven her and told her that there was NO strife between us. I had made the choice to forgive right away.

We need to learn to forgive others IMMEDIATELY and COMPLETELY. We need to let go and let love cover a multitude of sins. (Proverbs 10:12, 17:9) It's a way of life. God forgives us while we sin. God tells us to forgive others (while they sin). 

We can be freed from the captive of bitterness and anger. We can live peaceable with those around us. I am much happier living this way! I can make friends and keep them.

Who do you still have to forgive? Forgive them now. Every time they or the situation comes up say it again: "It's been forgiven and now, I'm forgetting it again."

Let it go. Live in freedom. Enjoy a forgiven life.

"Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: 

but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: 

for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back." 

Isaiah 38:17

PS. I have been trying to write weekly, but the LAST three weeks, I have been dealing with sick babies. I, myself, have been very sick. Thanks for being understanding. 

I am sorry for not writing consistently. Please forgive me? Thank you!