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January, 2011
Time or Attitude?
In life, every now and then we deserve a day (or 2) off. Work, workouts, sure we need a day or two off every week, even certain types of play time. These are activities that drain us, physically, emotionally, even intellectually. Each year our worlds’ seem to get busier, more time committed, less time off. We’ve even begun to formally allocate our children’s time, school, after-school, play time, back to back activities, even play-dates. We even schedule activities for family time. The more we squeeze into each day, the more we squeeze God out of our days. Church once a week? We’ll try but we have a lot of important things to get done and we haven’t much time left to do them. We don’t seem to take any responsibility for all the activities we’ve set in motion or passively agreed to. Add those to expected duties and not much is left. We’ve even made it sound selfless, he has this activity, she has to be there, the family wants us to do this, my spouse needs to go to where-ever, so where does the most important relationship we should have, fit into our regular activities? I don’t recall anyone ever telling me that they needed a day off from love.
God is alive and well and is not an appointment, not a draining activity, not something to be filed away as another optional or even a mandatory attendance commitment. He isn’t a mere convenience. How many times, when asked or prodded to do something else, do we ever reply with, no thank you, today I just want to spend time with God? We treat distant friends with more respect.
God is the source of life, the power behind all the energy in the universe. The great giver, joy maker and redeemer. As the creator of love, He’s the one we turn to in the worst of times and too often the one we take for granted in the best of times. I really don’t understand why we can’t see and consciously acknowledge how we deal with Him? Perhaps we’d feel too guilty if we brought this thinking to the forefront of our minds? If He told us He didn’t love us, maybe that would be an excuse, just maybe. That’ll never happen with Jesus! He wants to be included in every aspect of our lives, every activity, problem, party, celebration and moment of sadness. We needn’t free up any more of our time, we need only open the door, pull up another chair, set another place, be a better host or simply show our love to thee original family patriarch. Start with a small but firm commitment to God and let your conscience do the rest. Read 2Jn 1:3.
JC Calkins with COMMON SENSE 4 UNCOMMON PEOPLE
Embracing Change
Change will always be a thorn in our sandals. We take comfort in knowing what we believe tomorrow will bring and we conveniently deny the obvious fact that we simply can’t control the big changes. We can moderate this, by orchestrating some variety in our lives, with the intention of reaching out toward whatever God is holding for us. We do this while lessening our grip on that and those with whom we have grown so comfortable.
In The Eyes Of?
acking nothing essential to the whole, complete of it’s nature or kind, this exemplifies perfect, but it isn’t how we view ourselves. I’ve never met another human being who could claim, justify and defend their own perfection. Now because each of us is an original, with no identical copies, no one else can realistically be compared to us, in that respect, we are truly unique. Still, is it fair to say, anyone of us lacks nothing essential to the whole?
All Our Love
I find it interesting, remarkable really, that all descriptions of God in the bible are esoteric, yet interpretive. There are no physical descriptions of Jesus which might cause us to stereotype the Lord according to our comfortable presets. God creates each of us individually. Each with different skills and gifts. Each with a unique appearance.
Guiding Conscience
If we had God walking with us, in everything we do, do you think we’d behave any differently than we do right now? Imagine, Jesus quietly seated next to us. We’re driving to work and nearly get hit because someone is texting while swerving from lane to lane. With Jesus right there, would you hold your temper, anger, frustration and comments?
Heavenly Harvest
What might heaven be like? I need only think of God’s creation, a restorative spinning ball of life, carefully balanced in a perfectly designed space, between a universe and the sole light of life. Upon this ball rests Eden, the perfect garden that God planted for the man and woman he created in His own image. Eden has everything that humankind needs, including God, to exist eternally.
Everywhere Video
This free download for your IPhone or Android phone, is a thank you for all those readers and customers who have become 4NR regulars with our popular Quiet Corner, Words-of-Wisdom Christian blog articles. Another beautiful way to enjoy God and his creation. Common Sense 4 Uncommon People. From: 4NR, Sharing With: You, with thanks. The 4 Natural Reflections series of products were created with the goal of providing a haven of peace and tranquility in an ever more fast-paced and… read more
Disruptive Choices
Even when we are on the right path, one slippery or loose stone can send us tumbling down a dangerous ravine or into painful darkness. Often, the perceived safety of familiarity is the mayhem that catches us off guard. Each day we make seemingly innocent choices in our lives, which take us off of our productive paths and onto another with hazards hidden by familiarity.
Strength
If with our meager allotment of wisdom, we see selfless, goodness and dependence in our children, will we not go to any length to serve and support that nature? God similarly watches out for us and we in turn, must learn to watch out for others, especially those who have yet to find Him. God’s strength, when sought for the benefit of others, serves all interests beneficially.
The Times We Live In
Even if success has graced our doorstep, behind that door, real happiness and joy are only occasional visitors, not regulars at our tables. Sin is a word that is quickly being obsoleted from our vocabularies, not because the concept is outdated, but because the concept interferes with too many of our earthly goals, objectives and pleasures. Sin today is equated to earthly rather heavenly laws; if it’s not illegal, it must be OK! What a convenient leap that is! Adultery, coveting, lying, selfishness and greed aren’t illegal, only immoral and the new morality serves our earthly desires well! It’s that very attitude that has defined the times we live in.
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