Temptations

A Pleasant Temptations "Blessed is the man that endures Temptation, for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord has promised to those that love Him." (James 1:12) In the words of Dr. Norman Vincent Peale," Temptation is the urge to do or say something wrong, something contrary to the will of God and the law of Christ. Temptation often comes in pleasant and seductive form, and the mind always attempts to rationalize it to make it seem right." We face it every day. We can choose the right or wrong path, the opportunistic or the Godly way. None of us has always chosen the right path that follows the law of Christ. We have all crossed that line and felt remorse, guilt, or doubt. Yes, admit it; you are not quite perfect. It is common for us to hold on to the memories of when we slipped and took Temptation. Often, this sorrowful thinking leads to a low self-image or guilt that affects our lives. Working with others for the last 25 years, June and I have seen people turn their lives around by accepting the concept of "spiritual growth" and making amends to those they have harmed. We are not perfect, but when we grow spiritually, we feel good about ourselves and turn down the temptations that confront us daily. The secret of success is spiritual growth through prayer and daily meditation. Thought for Today: In our personal lives, there are temptations, ways to cheat, subtle dishonesty, procrastination, lust, etc. We can choose to follow the Lord's commandments. Let us note our wise decisions and thank the spirituality and maturity that gets us through the week. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, our world is confusing. Religious wars and terrorism abound in the East. Neighbors use their version of God to discriminate against others. Within our society, there are many opportunities for us to help. We pray that we will recognize that part of our lives. We pray we may find a chance to help bring peace and love. We pray for the time to counteract the fear and hate in our world. Amen

Winning

Winning "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we have received from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). Who in our lives are the winners? Some say the one with the most toys wins. That is a materialistic one-liner that gives me goosebumps. However, in our society today, we pursue "things" instead of happiness and peace. So who are the real winners, and how do they win? God placed us here to be his stewards, with our priority to be sharing the gifts we received from Him with others. That seems to be a very tall order. However, we always feel great when we have helped a friend or stranger. God gives us resources in many different forms. We have money that we earn and the knowledge that we have learned. We graciously share these things with our families and children, making us feel good. Many people also reach out beyond their family units and share. There are ways to share and sow the seeds God has given us to plant, and we are real winners when we share our gifts. Thought for Today: Let us look for an opportunity to help someone who is sick, hurting, or lonely. If we fail to find someone, let's share some extra with our Church. Sharing a bit will make us feel better. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, we live in a troubled world: civil unrest, road rage, families in strife, and other tragic incidences. Today we pray for an opportunity to help and share with someone and demonstrate your Grace through our actions. Amen.

Help Others

We are helpers!

Love is the Way!

Just a simple thought for today!

Marriage Again

Marriage Again "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." (Proverbs 31:10,11) Marriage is one of the world's most challenging jobs. Let me quote from The Mystery of Marriage by Mike Mason. "Marriage, even under the best of circumstances, is a crisis, one of the major crises of life. It is a dangerous thing not to be aware of this. Whether it turns out to be a healthy, challenging, and constructive crisis or a disastrous nightmare depends largely upon how willing the partners are to be changed, how malleable they are." "Crises" seems a bit extreme to me. Still, undoubtedly, marriage is an excellent opportunity for the fulfillment of life, and it certainly is not without its opportunities for either success or failure. A marriage blessed by God, where the partners have allowed God's love to grow in their relationship, is one of the world's greatest experiences. Enjoy it. Thought for Today: We face many distractions in our daily lives; work, busy schedules, pandemics, war, and financial issues are some of them. This week let us look at our primary relationships and focus introspectively, up close. Let us understand that when things are okay in our relationships, the outside problems seem less intense; focus on our loves. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today we thank the people you have placed close to us in our lives. We pray that we can share our love with friends, family, and others we meet as this week progresses. Amen

Marriage

Marriage " A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value." (Proverbs 31:10,11 ) On July 28th, 2018, June and I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary. We were married on her 30th birthday. She has been a blessing to me, and I often refer to her as the light at the end of my tunnel. She helped escort me from my dark period of the 1960s into something better- that seems to be still growing. Fifty years is a long time, and it was not all romance and happy times. There was alcohol treatment, recovery, career moves, stress, the challenges of raising four children, and just living with Bob, who does not always make sense. I often discuss the many benefits of a good marriage: the great mutual support, the care when illness arrives, and the joint celebrations of the many events that occur. Yes, marriage is truly an extraordinary institution when things are well and blessed by God. Thought for Today: Let's keep it simple and enjoy our significant other and those others around us. Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, today we give thanks for the people that you have placed close to us in our lives. We pray that as this week progresses, we can share our love with friends, family, and others we meet. Amen

Letting Go

Letting Go "So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away..." (2 Corinthians 5:17). With God's help, we can release the past and live in the now. Accepting God's presence in our lives can release the past rather than reliving it. Holding on to hurtful memories takes us down roads that lead nowhere. With God's help, we can choose new directions and turn from a nowhere destination to live in the here and now. A piece of all of us seems to need to live in the negative past. Divorced people can hold resentments for years; accident victims often resent the other driver; workers frequently hold grudges against their managers in the workplace, and it goes on. It is easy to do, but in the scope of Christianity, it does not fit. Forgiveness is what leads to peace and happiness. Today is a new day where we can discard the baggage of old habits that limit us. Start anew with God, take control of our lives, and be receptive to all the goodness God has to offer through divine guidance. Yes, today is the first day of the rest of our life. Thought for Today: Today, think about what wears us down. When it is a historical issue, deal with it. If you can adjust to the situation, do it. If you can switch to something positive, do it. If you can not resolve the negativity, pray about it. Prayer for Today: Dear Lord and Father, we need you in our lives more than ever. There are so many negative issues it is often difficult to focus on your goodness. We thank the many blessings you bring to our lives, the great friends we need, the world that surrounds us with beauty, and our families that bless our lives. We thank you as our creator for our many blessings. Amen