As we walk along the boardwalk of life, though the boards are uneven at times, may our steps be guided and our trips be few. Happy Sunday.
Then you will travel safely on your way, and your foot will not stumble. Proverbs 3:23
Tag Archives: life
The Visitor
In the past few days we have relived the death of Jesus and his resurrection from the dead.
Now He speaks to all of us for whom He died…that means all of us.
“Here I am. I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door I will come in and eat with him and he with me.” Rev. 3:20
Who will acknowledge the knock of the Visitor, hear that gentle voice and respond to the invitation to dine with the One whose love for us knew no bounds.
I was ten years old when that gentle tap came to the door of my heart. I often wonder what my life would be like if I had not invited Him in.
How about you? Is it time for you to open the door to the Visitor?
Pleasant Surprises (6)
This is the end of the Pleasant Surprises series. Happy Saturday.
The most important trip you may take in life is
Meeting people halfway.
~Henry Boyle~
A Father and His Son
Here is a photo I cannot resist posting. It is my nephew reading the Bible to his three-and-a-half-month-old son. Just as the son of God learned everything from His Father, this little one is off to a good start learning from his daddy. It is among the top most precious photos to come my way recently. On this Good Friday, let’s remember the teachings of our Father and His Son as well as what a picture like this can teach us.
On Lowering Expectations
These two words have preyed upon my thoughts lately and I’ve been weighing the pros and cons.
It is said that lowering one’s expectations leads to more happiness and compassion. But for whom? For the one whose expectations are lowered or the one who does not live up to someone’s expectations…or even their own? One online expert said, “We’re happier to accept other people’s difficult behaviors when we expect less from them.” Hmmm, I’m not so sure.
What actually is an expectation? One dictionary’s interpretation is a strong belief that something will happen or be the case in the future. For me it was adding the word wonderful to that something.
I have lived my life with this premise and nearly always had my expectations met, making it difficult to lower my expectations of anything or anyone. It would be like giving up hope.
The pros for lessening expectations seem to dictate that if you don’t expect the best from people or life you won’t be disappointed when the best fails to materialize.
On the other hand, the cons, at least for me, would be giving in to the feeling of apathy that accompanies losing hope and I can’t do that.
In many cases in my life, it was someone else’s high expectation of me that brought me through eighty-one years of fairly successful living.
When we were children, we expected our parents would always be there for us; we expected hugs when we needed them and scoldings when they were needed as well. We expected to be fed, clothed, counseled, nurtured, and sent out into the world to in turn, one day expect to do these things for others. As life goes on expectations change…not because they are lowered, but perhaps because we fail to see what is expected of us.
So, I think instead of lowering my expectations I will instead extend the time frame of what I expect to when I expect it.
That way I still have hope.
How Great Thou Art
He was a new member of our choir when he offered a solo rendition of How Great Thou Art. The strong, mellow baritone voice filled the sanctuary with sonerous sounds and a feeling of awe.
On Friday a gathering of friends, family and church family sang this very hymn in honor of yet another of our members who left us to sing in Heaven’s choir, after many years of loyal service in our church.
Laurie will be so missed by so many and I, for one, could feel his presence on Friday as we sang his favorite hymn, How Great Thou Art.
Just For Now
One hour after her eightieth birthday, Barbara was blowing out candles in heaven. It was one birthday her husband and daughters could not attend physically, but be sure they were wishing her well in the midst of their own grief.
Two months after his one-hundredth birthday, Bob traded in his wheelchair on earth for a chariot in heaven. Bob’s birthday party was well attended and a resounding rendition of “Happy Birthday to You” filled the auditorium of St. Andrew’s Scarborough where both Bob and Barbara had attended for many, many years.
Yes, in January we at St. Andrew’s bade farewell to two more of our dearly loved members; people who not only attended the church but attended to the church in so many ways over the years.
We were one month into the new year when Barbara and Bob climbed that stairway to heaven, following in the footsteps of the many who had gone before them. We at St. Andrew’s who love our people deeply, also grieve deeply when they answer that final call to “Come Home.”
Although they leave behind two separate families who miss them, they also leave behind one church family who misses them also.
And so we say not “Good-bye” to Barbara and Bob, but “Just for now.”
Enjoy Your Journey
Having just attended a funeral on January 24th and another one today, I found this blog by Bonnie on WordPress to be quite true and touching. I trust she won’t mind my sharing it. May your Saturday be blessed.
In Life’s Journey
Life’s journey is taken one step at a time. There are times when we can see ahead and other times when the view is blocked. There are moments when we walk alone and there are moments of togetherness.
For every beginning, there is an ending in this life. For every hello, there is a goodbye. Enjoy your journey and savor each step along the way.
A Beautiful Life
Life is full of ups and downs, and riding life’s roller coaster can be exhilarating while taking time out to sail a still lake will soothe the soul. Either way it is still a beautiful life. Happy Saturday.
The Act of Surrendering
When we think of surrendering do we think of giving up or giving in? Do we think of positive or negative?
I like to think of surrendering in a positive way…as in quitting a bad habit. Instead of surrendering to the idea that I could never quit smoking, I surrendered to the thought that it was bad for my health and detrimental to the loved ones in closest proximity to me. With that thought in mind the surrendered state became a reality. It has been twenty-one years since smoking has been part of my life.
Likewise, when disagreements occur and cause friction in friendships, families, and relationships, the thought of trying to end the conflict could be seen as giving in or surrendering to those who we think are the cause of such disruptions. But if our thoughts are of only making things better even at the risk of further alienation, then surrendering to those thoughts instead of to the grudge can, in the end, lead to peace of mind, knowing that all attempts were made to remedy a situation even if it is not remedied.
The greatest surrender of all is surrendering to God’s plan for our life, no matter what our belief. With that surrender everything else falls into place. It may not always be to our liking or to the way we expect it should be, but we can know that it is always for our best even though that may not appear evident at the time.
As this is being written, an old year is being surrendered to a new year. There is nothing we can do about that…it just is…and in surrendering old thoughts for new, bad habits for better, bitterness for understanding, hatred for love…we will be giving in to the act of surrendering.
Happy New Year.
My Precious Life 