Love Day

If God IS love, shouldn’t we give “God” to people on Valentine’s Day?  How can I do that?  Show love! Show kindness.  Show generosity.  Show joy and compassion and caring and patience.  Pay for the person behind you at the drive through.  Send an anonymous card.  Smile at everybody.  Compliment someone.  God can use you, like a well lit street,  to lead others to him.  Light up with love and God will be glorified….and “they will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, yes they’ll know we are Christians by our love.” 

Don’t forget the most loving part, tell them about Jesus!  He is the key that opens the door to Heaven!

He Loves Me!  He Loves You! He IS Love!

My "Deer" God Spot

The space in which I choose to have my devotion/quiet time is radically important for my focus..…evidently. I didn’t realize how important “my spot” was to the quality and satisfaction of my God time until I moved to a new home.  For 17 years, I looked forward to settling in at the island in my kitchen facing the open great room and back deck with bird feeders and flowers and a view of the great outdoors.  I felt a peace in “my spot”.  More importantly, I could focus on God and His Word and hear him speak through nature.  In my new home, I tried several spots in search of “my spot”.  I tried my cute covered brick patio, but it was too hot or cold or buggy or loud with the AC unit right next to it.  I tried the couch, but I was too comfy, and I would drift off mentally.  Plus, it didn’t feel special since I watched TV from there nightly.  I tried the desk in my office because it had windows floor to ceiling, but it felt like work – somehow less personal or intimate.  At last, I have landed back in the kitchen.  Since I have no island, I sit at the table facing my bay window with a bird feeder, bird bath, swing, flowers and woods.  Just out of view stands an apple tree.  Because of the all the apples on the ground (and sunflower seeds in the bird feeder, and clover and grass on the ground), I have animals to watch most days and feel God again in “my spot”.  At first, I only had birds, squirrels and chipmunks to watch.  Then I had a ground hog, a possum, a fox, bunnies, cats and, at this time of year, DEER.  Deer love apples!  How convenient for me.  I have bucks and doe at least twice a week at my quiet time.  Now, each morning, I get my cup of coffee, Bible and journal and settle into my “Deer, God Spot” for my most peaceful time of the day!  I love my new spot.  Where’s yours?

Try On!!!

My thoughts often come out of my mouth as words before passing through any filters.  Given the oddity of my thinking, this can be an exceptionally dangerous thing….for my reputation of being “normal,” that is.  Those who know me, however, lost that notion long ago.   An example of my thought outbursts follows.  I was in Charlotte, North Carolina visiting my middle son who was attending college at UNCC at the time.  We had a car full of people, and I was sitting in the back seat taking in the surroundings as we drove to a restaurant.  If you know Charlotte, you know that there are numerous streets and establishments with the name Tryon in them.  I made the comment that it was such a positive, motivational name, and the whole gang questioned what I meant.  I did a fist pump and said, “Try On!!”  To make matters worse, I couldn’t think of the term “fist pump” and said “arm pump” instead and still haven’t heard the end of that misspeak.  No explanation was needed on the motivational properties of Tryon once it was said that way.  Whatever you’re struggling with, “Try On!! (pump pump)!!”