PERSPECTIVE

Puddles are baby oceans. Really, there’s not much difference except that the wildlife in one lives longer and is big enough for us to see.

Trees are giant weeds. Just look at one when the leaves have fallen, and you’ll see how similar they look.

And our house is nothing but an overgrown dollhouse.

It’s all a matter of perspective. Try looking at something differently today. It will help your creative juices flow and your tolerance level grow.

By THE HAPPY GUY

SADNESS

Feeling a little sad? Down in the dumps? Should I try to cheer you up?

Maybe not just yet. It’s Ok to feel down sometimes. Happiness is not about constantly feeling like you’re on top of the world. Yes, it’s great to feel joy and excitement, but sometimes we have to charge our batteries and come back down to ground ourselves.

Allow yourself these moments. The key is not to let them drag on for hours or days. Kick yourself back up if it starts to drag on. But until then, you deserve the space to come down for a while.

-The Happy Guy

Something You Never Had

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Cindy waited 34 long years and stayed in the marriage. She gave it her all, and waited for her husband to come around. He was emotionally unavailable. He dropped dead from a heart attack last month. Bye-bye to that hope. Sam is 58 years old. There's been a hole in his heart as big as all outdoors for 56 of those years, wanting his father who disappeared when he was two. Dianne has been looking for someone to come into her life for many years. A partner and lover. She is old now. It may not happen.

Have you ever longed for something you've never had? Something money can't buy? Maybe a good relationship with your mother or father, or your kids. Perhaps you would really like a relationship that is now impossible, because that person has died.

You can be sad about something you never had. You can grieve something you never will have. But can you lose something you never had? 

One thing you could never lose - even if you wanted to - the unconditional love that God your Father has for you. Never. No way! Not possible to lose that; it's there for ever and ever. It's just for you.

The LOVE that GOD has for YOU is not, and never could be, something you never had. It's been there all of your life. Even before.And it will be after.

Just ask him to show you. He will!

Sally I. Kennedy is the author of Irish Thursdays: More Little Parables, Words from the 
Heart, and 52 Little Parables from Ireland . She lives in south Florida, with her husband 
Ben. Please visit her website at this address: http://www.sallyikennedy.com Sally's 
email: sallyikennedy@bellsouth.net

SElECTIvE HEaRING

And we have this confidence in him, that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. – 1 John 5:14

I know a man who used to get in trouble with his wife because she claims he never listens to her. Every time she would call him, he wouldn't respond. "Why don't you answer me?" she'd demand. His reply would be, "But I didn't hear you." The wife interpreted this as her husband's way of ignoring her. She accused him of selective hearing — subconsciously not listening to her whenever she spoke. Of course, the man vehemently denied this. And the conflict only deepened.

Until the man had a hearing test. That's when they discovered that he was partially deaf to a certain frequency of sounds, including — you guessed it — his wife's voice. The Lord has selective hearing, too. He doesn't hear our prayers that will not benefit us or, at worse, harm us. Like those times we asked Him to make us sick just so we could avoid an undesirable situation. Or the times we prayed for death because we were depressed or heartbroken. Or the times we asked Him to bless us with something less than what He actually wanted to give us. But when we do ask for something according to His will, be sure that He has perfect hearing. 

by Rissa Singson-Kawpeng

REFLECTION:
When did you ask the Lord for something that wasn't good for you?

Lord, thank You for wanting the best for me. Amen.

The Good Life

Beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses. — Luke 12:15

Driving down the highway in Houston, I passed a billboard with large letters that announced "THE GOOD LIFE!" I couldn't wait to get closer to read the small print, which explained that the "good life" was about buying a lakefront home starting at $300,000. Which made me wonder if some unhappy families might live in those homes, with kids who never see their parents or couples who, though living on the lake, wish they weren't even living together.

Luke 12 came to mind as I remembered the story of the man who asked Jesus to tell his brother to divide the inheritance with him. That was the wrong thing to ask Jesus! He replied with a warning, "Beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses" (v. 15). He then went on to tell the story of an extremely rich man who, from God's point of view, was a fool — not because he was successfully wealthy but because he was not rich toward God.

The sooner we get over the illusion that more stuff means more peace, happiness, and self-fulfillment, the better off we will be. And then the more able we will be to find the longed-for peace and happiness — the true "good life" — that only Jesus can provide. — Joe Stowell

O Lord, help us to be content,

Whatever we possess;

Protect us from the foolish lie

That "more" brings happiness. — Sper

The STRESS Factor

Stress, its all around us. It's common to say that because society is so much more complex today, we are all under a lot more stress than people were fifty years ago.

What is stress? When you put weight on a cable, you place it under stress. Too much stress will cause the cable to snap. That's how it is with you and me. Too much pressure, and we snap. The nerves are shattered. There can be a nervous breakdown. 

Listen to the warning given by Jesus, "Be on your guard, that your hearts not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life" (Luke 21:34). The human heart involves the mind and emotions as well as the physical life. Jesus is saying that too great a burden may be placed upon our minds and emotions. Getting drunk is one way such a burden can be placed on your mind. You know that drunkenness clouds your mind and alters your emotions. The result is that you cannot relate to others properly. Drunkenness so alters our moods that some people become dangerous. They sometimes beat their wives and kill people while driving. Drunkenness is a terrible sin.

But Jesus says worry is just as bad as drunkenness when it comes to putting stress on ourselves. Listen again, "Be on your guard, that your hearts not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and
the worries of life." Worry clouds your thinking. Worry alters your emotions. You become touchy and sharp with others. Too much worry can shatter your nerves and bring you to the breaking point! This is why Jesus warns us to watch out.

Contributed by Dr. Dennis J. Prutow

Standing Firm

Standing Firm

You see it all the time. People achieve success, and then their personal lives seem to fall apart. As someone once said, success has made failures of many men. But does that have to happen?

The September 1996 issue of Standing Firm magazine contains a great story about Bobby Bowden. Bowden is head football coach for Florida State University. His team's winning record places him near the top in wins among active coaches at the Division I level. Bowden's record of successes in bowl games is the highest winning percentage in NCAA history. So he is successful in his chosen career. Whether you are a fan of F.S.U. or not, you have to admit that Bowden is a successful coach.

But there is more to Bowden than the statistics you read in the sports pages. He is a man of faith, and makes no apologies for that. During hi steam's Friday evening meetings before their Saturday games, Bowden uses valuable time for team devotionals, which he leads. As for his ongoing leadership of the team's staff, each day he meets with his staff for devotions and prayer prior to their regular staff meetings.

Each year, Bowden takes his entire team to a predominantly black church for worship. The following Sunday, he takes the team to a predominantly white church. There is no deception involved--he writes a letter to each
athlete's parents or guardian to tell them about the church visits and obtain their approval. "I'm trying to show these kids that they are accepted in church whether they are white or black," Bowden said.

So what is the point of this and the many other ways Bowden walks his walk of faith? Bowden says, "I want to show these kids that you can be a Christian, you can be a God-fearing man, you can abide by the rules, and
you can still be successful."

How Does This Apply to Our Lives?

A number of social commentators have asked the questions, "Where are our heroes?" and "Where are the role models for today's youth?" That is because we constantly read about people who were considered heroes, but turned out to be villains who compromised their values and broke the rules. Is it necessary to compromise your values to make it in life? Bowden's story shows that it is not. No, Bowden is not perfect. But there is a core to his life. Bowden stands firm in his beliefs--and is successful. What is the difference between the Bobby Bowden's of the world, and others? Simply put, some people are like onions. They have no core, just layers. And when you peel away all the layers, nothing is left. Don't glorify the "onions" of the world. Instead, lift up people like Bowden--men and women with a core to their lives, who exhibit integrity and faith. Help them touch others. Encourage them. Pray for them. Finally, build and strengthen your own core. Start by placing your trust and confidence totally in God. Trusting in God does not guarantee you worldly success or great riches, but the Bible teaches that something far more important will result, blessings from God.

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him." Job 17:9
Contributed by Rich McLawhorn email:REM@mail01.scdps.state.sc.us