“Love your neighbor as yourself”. An oft quoted verse from the bible ~ actually a commandment cited by Jesus in Matthew 22 as second only to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind.”

When I think of this commandment my first thought is to ask myself whether or not I am being selfish in my own life. Am I giving to others as I am giving to myself? Do I spend more time considering the needs of others than feeding my own desires?

I believe it is healthy and appropriate to ask these questions and to examine our lives to eliminate selfishness and poor attitudes toward others. But I have also been struck by the “what if” in this verse.

What if we don’t love ourselves?

Every neighborhood is filled with hurting people. Too many people don’t even like themselves, forget loving. Some people look in the mirror and detest what they see there. Others have never known true love in their lives. Beat down by words or actions from childhood, all they know is criticism, never praise or acceptance. When there is no example of love in our lives it is difficult to know how to love others.

The challenge I have when I encounter someone who is difficult to love is to not react but to realize. I need to realize that I don’t know what’s going on in that person’s life and I don’t know what is making them act in a certain way. Maybe they’ve had a really difficult day and the way I respond to them could make the difference between whether the day continues to go downhill or takes a turn for the better.

There is a phrase that has become sort of cliché in Christian circles of what would Jesus do? While perhaps this saying can seem tired and overused the reality is that applying it to our lives can make a real impact…for us and those around us. If before responding to others we stop to think about what Jesus would say or how He would act toward the person we encounter we may swallow a sharp retort or adjust the expression on our face and make a bigger impact than we know.

If you are hurting today I want to encourage you that God knows your hurt and wants to show you how to love yourself. He loves you regardless of how you look, how much you weigh, and whether or not you are “successful” by the world’s standards. He already knows all about you and loves you for all you are, the good and the bad.

I have loved you with an everlasting love; 
I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.                                               Jeremiah 31:3

With our human eyes and brain it can be difficult to see how God can love each of us with all of our shortcomings. But whether we understand it or not, He does. God is just waiting for us to cry out to Him and release all of our feelings, good and bad to Him and allow Him to sort them out with us. 

God is so faithful that as we allow ourselves to be open and trust Him with our relationships He will bring people into our lives who will walk alongside us and show us what love is supposed to look like here on earth. The relationships may take a while to build and they won’t be perfect, but don’t let that stop you from reaching out. By loving those God puts in our path we will learn how to love ourselves as well.

We are all in this together. Neighbors both physically and through the wonders of electronics. And in our interactions we have power…the power to heal or to crush and the power to love or turn our backs. Allow God to work in you and through you today to learn to love yourself as He loves you and then in turn to love others as you love yourself.

blessings and peace to you…

Paula

Over the past few weeks I have been dealing with a medical issue that seems to be a mystery. To this point my pain cannot be diagnosed, yet it increases. This unknown can be frustrating, even frightening at times, yet in the midst of it I am learning a great deal about myself, those who love me, and my faith.

Amidst every doctor visit, each test, and repeated pokes of needles there is only one (here on earth) who truly knows what is going on inside my body. That person is me. I have to do everything I can to help others understand what I am feeling and narrow down what the cause may be. I must be my own advocate and continue to press on until someone listens enough to help me. I must persevere.

Perseverance:

“continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.”  (Miriam Webster Dictionary)

I think of others who persevere and am humbled at the thought of what they face. Every day people face cancer treatments, learn to live without limbs, lose their jobs or homes and figure out how to survive and support a family. Some face incredible odds to start the business of their dreams. When I felt sorry for myself  because I had to fast for 2 days before a test I was jolted back to reality with the fact that when the test was over I could eat whatever I wanted while others go without food for many days at a time, not knowing where their next meal is coming from. Amazing perseverance.

I’ve also been reminded that perseverance is biblical.

Romans 5 reminds us of the reward for our perseverance:

Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  Romans 3:3-5

The book of Luke recounts a story Jesus told of a man who had a guest in his home late at night. He had nothing to feed him so he went to a friend’s home at midnight asking for bread. The friend tells him to go away and yet Jesus says…

“I tell you, even though he will not get up and give you the bread because of friendship, yet because of your perseverance he will surely get up and give you as much as you need.

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

On this Holy Thursday, as we enter Easter weekend we remember the day Jesus spent preparing for the last meal He would eat with His disciples before His death. Throughout the day Jesus tried to explain to them what was to come – of His imminent betrayal and eventual death. His disciples didn’t get it. Jesus washed their feet, explained to them about serving others, and asked them to join Him as He prayed in the garden. He never gave up trying to teach them of God’s love for them.

When evening came Jesus gave us such a beautiful, yet heart wrenching picture of perseverance. Jesus knew He was about to be betrayed, then executed. He had lived a perfect life. In all His interactions with those who opposed Him Jesus never sinned. Yet He would be ridiculed and hung on a cross to die the most painful death for all people who believe that He is Lord and Savior. His heart must have been so heavy, yet He persevered.

Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane that evening to pray for God’s will. Matthew’s gospel tells us that Jesus prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” He didn’t receive an answer so He prayed again, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will  be done.” Jesus prayed a third time in the same manner, persevering for an answer from His Father for what He was facing.

The outcome of Jesus’ perseverance was not His deliverance from the coming ridicule and death. It was not what He desired but for Him it was more important for God to be glorified than for Him to be comfortable. And because Jesus persevered and completed the purpose for which His Father sent him to earth we reap countless blessings. Every year as we remember Jesus’ sacrifice for us we are reminded that if He had not persevered through His times of tribulation we would not have the gift of eternity in Heaven with Him.

Each one of us has challenges to work through and overcome. While yours may not seem significant to the world it is significant to you, therefore it also matters to God. Whatever you are facing as you read this I pray for your perseverance. Don’t give up – on yourself, a solution, and especially your faith that God will bring good out of your circumstances. And as you persevere remember that through Jesus’ gift of salvation we can have the blessing of peace that passes all understanding.

I echo the words of the book of Hebrews and pray it encourages you today:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3

Blessings and peace to you…

Paula

When I don’t leave for work early enough I get “stuck” behind a school bus. Since this doesn’t make me late for work, just not as early as I’d like, I choose not to get upset about it but instead watch the kids and their parents as they wait, and as the kids board the bus.  When I’m just ahead of the bus the kids are usually waiting in their yards or driveways. One family of boys is usually chasing each other, passing the time with play. One little girl twirls and dances and I imagine her singing a little tune as she waits in her own little world.

There’s one house that stands out to me more than the others. Almost every morning the dad, dressed in his suit for work and coffee cup in hand, stands with his son of I would guess age 10 or 12. They chat and wait together, but the best part is yet to come.

As the bus pulls up the young man gears up, then runs to get on the bus. I can see him walking back to his seat, settling in on the side of the bus next to his house looking out at his driveway. Dad, still in the driveway sets down his coffee cup, points to himself, crosses his arms across his chest, then points to the window of the school bus. “I LOVE YOU” he is saying to his son. The bus pulls away and the dad turns to get in his car and head to work.

I have just witnessed a precious ritual that both father and son will treasure their entire lives.

The other day I watched this interaction and thought to myself, “Imagine what the son would miss if he didn’t look at his dad.” As I continued my trip to work I had another thought. “What do I miss because I don’t look at my Father?” I realized that all around me are treasures from my Heavenly Father.

As I drove I looked around at the sun reflecting on a pond, the geese snacking in a cornfield, the little waterfall tumbling down the rocks along the road. So many blessings put there for our enjoyment. I too often take them for granted, driving back and forth from work with tunnel vision.

Then there are the gifts of health, wisdom and friendship.

While my body is aging and seems to have more aches, pains and things to get checked out I am blessed with overall good health. I have the ability to exercise and work that many people do not have due to health reasons. I also have good sight and hearing which I too often take for granted.

I am blessed with a sound mind and the love of knowledge. I enjoy reading and writing and learning more about a range of topics. I have access to books, internet, library and community programs and classes if I choose to take advantage of them. I look at people here in America and throughout the world who don’t have these opportunities.

Friends are blessings that encourage and inspire me to be a better person, live life to the fullest and push myself beyond what I think I can do to what I actually can do. I have a number of people who are only a phone call or e-mail away who stand ready to pray for and with me, stop for a visit or a cup of coffee and help bring perspective or brighten a dark and discouraging day.

Most of all, the love and promises of my Lord are in abundance. In the bible He reminds us over and over of His love and faithfulness.

“I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” Jeremiah 31:3

” And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”  Matthew 28:20b

“Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”  Hebrews 13:5

Just as the father signed his love to the boy on the bus, our Heavenly Father signs His love to us every day. How many of them are we missing because we’re not looking for them?

I ask you to join me in making a point every day to look for God’s signs of love. At the start of the day, let’s look for the blessings instead of the challenges. As we start out with exercise, step into a hot shower and sip that cup of coffee let’s not take them for granted. Looking back at the end of the day I’ll bet we would lose count of the signs we saw throughout the day.

Today let’s allow the signs of love to give us the peace to carry us through our day.

blessings and peace to you!

Paula

Today begins Daylight Savings Time for another year (so if you didn’t set your clocks ahead last night you might be an hour behind everyone else!). I’m not as big a fan of daylight savings as some people are. It’s not that I don’t like the extended daylight at the end of the day. It’s great to have it lighter when I leave work, and nice to be able to go for a walk or do some work outside after supper. However the sacrifice for light later in the day is less light earlier. I really like watching the sun come up shortly after 6am. It’s easier to get up at 5am knowing the sun is soon behind me.

No longer. It will be the end of March before the sunrise is before 7am and the end of April before it is up before 6am. So it’s an exchange really, we don’t actually gain any daylight today. I’m reminded of the legend of a Native American ‘s remarks regarding Daylight Savings Time (thanks to cousin Dave for the image):

So as I sit here missing that hour of sleep I lost last night I have been contemplating the concept of saving time and planning our futures. As the days stay light longer and the spring and summer approaches I tend to make many plans. I plan for the gardens and the flowers I’ll plant. I plan for trips I want to take and waterfalls I want to explore. I was reminded this morning of what God has to say:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” ¹⁶ As it is, you boast in your arrogant schemes. All such boasting is evil. ¹⁷ If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.  James 4:13-16

I don’t think God is against setting goals and making plans for our days. It seems to me that if we are to serve him effectively we need to think ahead a little. But our plans should always be subject to His revisions or striking them completely. To make the most of our days we should always start with a conversation with the Lord, both talking AND listening to see who He would have us touch and how we can best serve Him.

We also shouldn’t leave that conversation in the morning. We need to be in touch with God all day to adjust our attitudes and actions to match what He would have us do. I often struggle with this one, getting to the end of the day and looking back, seeing too late opportunities I missed because I wasn’t paying attention. That makes me sad. I’m going to work on doing better.

So my friends, whether you like this springing ahead stuff or not, allow yourself to take the time to think about today and what the Lord has for you. Do the good He has for you today, and go to bed tonight with the peace of knowing you’ve done the best you could for Him.

Blessings and peace to you today!

Paula

For many years my dad had a sharpening business. He began with a machine to sharpen his own chain saw chains and grew to a shop full of equipment so he could sharpen just about everything (including wits!). He became well-known for his sharpening as well as someone who enjoyed visiting and keeping current on events of the community and country. When Dad would come in for lunch or just to take a break during the day, before long we’d hear him say, “I’d better keep everlastingly at it” and out to his shop he would go.

Five years ago today I got the phone call I had always somehow dreaded. My dad had a heart attack and didn’t make it. I had talked to him just a few days earlier on my birthday but now he was gone. My world began to crumble around me. My dad and I had a special relationship and the blessing of a closeness few fathers and daughters have. I didn’t know how I could go on living without my dad.

But on that plane ride halfway across the country to be with my mom and sister and say “goodbye for now” to my earthly dad, somewhere deep inside my soul resonated, “be still and know that I am God.” It is impossible to explain how that soothed me in the midst of my sorrow, for while I couldn’t imagine going on I knew I would, and I could. Although my earthly father was no longer with me I have a Heavenly Father who is omnipotent God and will never leave me. Even in the midst of the sorrow and uncertainty in my mind God knew what the future held, and with Him beside me I could “keep everlastingly at it” until I understood it too.

“Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 46: 10-11

What uncertainties are you facing in life right now? Do you have uncertainty in your job, your family or your friendships? Do you look at the future and wonder how you can go on?

I encourage you that no matter what you face to remember that God is still in control. He doesn’t promise that it will be easy or that you will always understand but He does promise to be with us and to be God in the midst of our circumstances if we allow Him to. When we put our trust in Him and keep everlastingly at it we will have peace in the midst of the puzzle of our lives.

Looking back over the past five years I see so much growth in my own life. I have pushed myself to try things I didn’t before and have had to learn things that I never imagined I’d be doing. There have been plenty of tears along the way but much joy as well.

I still don’t know what the future holds but God knows the ending I can’t see. He sees the woman He will continue to mold me into as I allow him to work through my sorrows, my struggles, and my successes. He knows your future too and longs to mold you and lead you face together whatever lies ahead.

I hope today you will look ahead with hope and just like my dad, keep everlastingly at it. God will be there too.

How many people know your name?

Just for fun, stop for a minute and make a guesstimate. Think of family, friends, even acquaintances. How high did you get? One hundred? Two Hundred? Five Hundred? More? I imagine there are more than you think. Now think about a time when you were surprised to find out someone knew your name. Perhaps it was in high school when you were made aware of a certain young man/woman who knew who you were. Or as an adult someone you admired at a social event or in the workplace.

With the popularity of Facebook and other social media more and more people may discover your name. Your “friends” list expands and more people find you through social networking. Whether it’s a long-lost friend or someone whom you’ve never met there is a certain curiosity when that balloon pops up and someone asks you to “friend” them.

There can be a certain thrill to finding out someone new knows your name. And I think sometimes we find a bigger thrill when that person knows many other people. There’s something about being known in the midst of a crowd that validates us or makes us feel important.

But do you know what I think is even more thrilling? The one who knows the names of billions of people (yes, that’s billions with a “b”!) knows your name! 

And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.”  Exodus 33:17

Just as He told Moses, God, who created the universe and each person in it knows your name and He’s happy about that! God doesn’t know your name because of a mutual friend or because you did something remarkable. He knows your name because He created you!

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
   you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful,
   I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
   when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body;
   all the days ordained for me were written in your book
   before one of them came to be.
¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts,God!
   How vast is the sum of them!
¹⁸ Were I to count them,
   they would outnumber the grains of sand—
   when I awake, I am still with you.   Psalm 139:13-18

 

God didn’t create you just to exist, but to do something special for Him that only you can do.

You may feel unremarkable – You’re not.

You may think you’re not good enough – You are.

You are perfect for exactly what God has for you today. Don’t compare yourself to the others around you, and don’t allow yourself to feel insignificant. Whether your part today is big or small, you have an important part to play that only you can accomplish.

I was reminded this weekend of a great quote from the movie Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium¹

“Your life is an occasion ~ rise to it!”

The important part of life is not the number of people who know your name, it’s that the One who loves you more than anyone on earth knows your name and has important things for you to do today.

Look for what God has planned for you today, reaching out to others, praying, or mopping floors. Whatever your part is today, If you don’t do it because you don’t think it’s important enough or glamorous enough, a peace will be missing in the puzzle of life.

blessings and peace to you today…

Paula

 

footnotes: ¹en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mr._Magorium’s_Wonder_Emporium

I was watching “The Kennedy Center Honors” the other night. Bill Cosby was introducing Sonny Rollins, a remarkable jazz saxophone player. One statement struck me especially. Mr. Cosby said, “Like all great artists, Sonny was reaching for something more…searching, challenging.”

As the new year dawns I find myself dreaming. Maybe you do to. We dream about what could be and how we’d like to see our lives. We paint pictures in our heads and on our hearts of what we could do “if only”.

Cosby’s words made me pause in my dreaming for a moment. Instead of pondering “if only” I began to ask “what if”….

What if Sonny Rollins had only dreamed of being as good as the jazz artists of his youth? What if Benjamin Franklin had been content to only fly kites on sunny spring days? What if David had allowed fear to keep him from facing Goliath?

These people, and many others like them had something in common:

They REACHED – refusing to keep their feet on the ground they reached deep inside of them for the faith to believe they could achieve in the midst of controversy, naysayers, even physical challenges. They reached beyond themselves for something greater.

They SEARCHED – each of them searched their hearts and believed in themselves and the power within them that allowed them to accomplish something that they couldn’t on their own. They searched for avenues that had not been explored before and then they went in the direction they discovered. Along the way they found what they were searching for, and probably more.

They CHALLENGED – although at times I’m sure their heads were telling them to quit and whispering that they would never accomplish what they were reaching for they continued to challenge the status quo. They challenged themselves to go after their dreams even when they weren’t sure they still believed in them.

What are your dreams?

What if you went after your dreams to make them come true?

While there are some dreams that we can’t really have control over (winning a new car/house/lots of money, etc), when our dreams line up with our gifts and God’s desires for us, they can become a reality. However, just dreaming about them won’t do it. Like all of the great musicians, artists and inventors we must be willing to reach, search and challenge ourselves and those around us who rain on our parade.

Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.

Proverbs 16:3

When we commit our dreams to the Lord and have faith that He will show us the way and then are ready and willing to do the work involved to follow His plans, we will see them come true.

I encourage you as I have challenged myself to stop only dreaming and start praying. And as you are led, start making plans. Then, don’t give up!

Keep reaching

   Keep searching

      Keep challenging

          …and watch your dreams come true.

If you’re willing, share with us what you’re dreaming of so that we can encourage you and pray for you as you go after your dreams. 

I’ll be praying for you, and to borrow the words of David in Psalm 20:4-5:

May he give you the desire of your heart
   and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy over your victory
   and lift up our banners in the name of our God.

May the LORD grant all your requests.

blessings and peace to you,

Paula

As 2011 comes to a close we are surrounded by all kinds of lists and reviews in every media outlet. From year-in-review issues of magazines to the top songs on the radio and top news or entertainment stories, the end of the year begs us as a society to look back at year that’s fading before our eyes. 

Many of us also look back at the passing year and do some evaluating of our own. We examine the ups and downs, the events that took place and the challenges we conquered, or perhaps we feel, conquered us.

Unfortunately many of us look back with a very critical eye on our personal year in review. I know I tend to glance over the good things that happened with a slight smile but stop and dwell longer on the things that weren’t what I hoped they would be. Too often I don’t give myself enough credit for all that I did well or the progress I made even if I didn’t reach all the goals I set for myself.

So this year I’m making a resolution, not or the new year but for today…and tomorrow, and each day that I look back and examine the past.

I resolve to look at things a little differently. I resolve whenever possible to put a positive spin on things that I feel like I didn’t accomplish. Some might say that I’ll look for the silver lining in the storm clouds.

For example, I had a goal to lose more than 50 pounds in 2011. I did lose a little weight but I didn’t reach my goal. In fact, I didn’t come close to that goal. In years past I would spend weeks dwelling on my failure and wallowing about it, probably consuming large amounts of chocolate to make myself feel better.

However this year I’m making a different choice. I’m choosing to see how much I did accomplish even without reaching the ultimate goal. I learned a lot this year about my eating habits and choosing healthy options. I learned that I can deal with stress and boredom without the help of chocolate. And by the end of the year I had developed a routine of exercise that will help me reach towards a new goal in 2012. So even though I’m not as thin and healthy as I’d hoped to be I’m further along than I was a year ago!

Does any of this resonate with you? Is it easy for you to see the sliver lining in other people’s clouds but only see the gray in your own? Maybe this year we can make the change together. Here are some ideas:

1. Begin by writing down the things you are reviewing in your mind. Make two lists, one for the good you see and one for the things you perceive as negative.

2. Spend some quality time with the good list thanking God for each thing you see as positive. Keep this list around. When you’re feeling down throughout the coming weeks and months and can’t remember the good things take a look back at your list.

3. Now take the list of things you’re not so pleased with. Break this list down and examine them one at a time for positives and things that can teach you something. Like my weight loss goal, maybe there are things that you can use to create new goals for the new year. If there’s absolutely nothing positive to be found, cross it out and move forward. Put it behind you just as you will put 2011 behind you.

Examination is a very healthy exercise but if it only leads to beating ourselves up and feeling badly about who we are it does us no good. Using what we’ve learned from our examination to put the old behind us and move forward with hope towards the future will bring peace to the puzzles of our lives.

Wishing each of you blessings and peace as you end 2011 and looking forward to growing and sharing with you in 2012.

Paula