Less (Lovingly, Aunt Florence) ~ Five Minute Friday

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“For God says, ‘At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.’ Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2

Lovingly, Aunt Florence

My Great-Aunt Florence was a strong woman; she was confident in her faith, and to me, She. Was. Brave! I admire her courage, because like her, I care about my loved ones’ salvation; but unlike me,  Aunt Florence went beyond caring and took action!  The possibility of backlash, ruffled feathers, or hurt feelings didn’t stop her from reaching out to every member of her family who she had an address for, inviting us each to accept Jesus if we hadn’t already. Her letters spoke of the peace, trust, and contentment she found as a result of her faith in God and she urged us to seek the same through accepting Jesus’ sacrifice, going to church, and reading the Bible. She closed by writing: “Whether your response to this letter is positive or negative, I’d love to hear from you.”

It’s hard to admit, but I’ve missed opportunities to speak of salvation with others, simply because I fear receiving those negative responses that Aunt Florence openly welcomed, (I’m sad to say, her “brave gene” didn’t get passed on to me), but rereading her old letters has inspired  me to do better! And I’m going to try and start now.

Have you stopped to think that we have less time to live today than we did yesterday? And that tomorrow, we’ll have less than we do right now? With everything going on in the world at this moment: the fear, the panic, the unknown, it seems the perfect time for each of us to stop and  consider our future. We all know this, but our present circumstances clearly remind us that we don’t know what lies ahead. Let’s ask ourselves, are we prepared?

Twenty-five years ago at the age of almost 90, My Great-Aunt Florence shared these scriptures with our family and with me. And now, I’m going to share them with you:

“Then Jesus said, ‘Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.’ ” Matthew 11:28 (NLT)

Jesus told him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’ ” John 14:6 (NLT)

“If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”
1 John 1:8-9 (NLT)

And I’ll add this one to hers:

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 (NLT)

The world is in turmoil. The future seems bleak. But here’s the good news: there’s no reason for despair. WE HAVE A HOPE! My heartfelt desire is for each of those I love and care about to spend no less than eternity with me in Heaven. I feel the same about you, who are reading this! Let me end these more than “five minutes” with some of the last words Aunt Florence shared and while they were written for me and my family, I know without a doubt, she wrote them with the intent that they’d be passed on:

“For many years Christ has been my strength, my shield, and my song, giving me peace that passes all understanding.  He’ll give it to you, too, if you’ll ask Him.
Evermore keep the faith!
Lovingly, Aunt Florence”

Today’s prompt is “Less” over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com Click over to read what others have written today! As always, I appreciate you taking your time to stop in. God Bless!

 

Clear Vision

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“But blessed are your eyes, because they see, and your ears, because they hear.” Matthew 13:16 (NLT)

Clear Vision

I don’t know how my glasses get so dirty! I’ll be going through my day, when all of the sudden I realize that my vision isn’t as clear as it had been. Taking off my glasses, I discover a coating of grimy, who knows what that is blurring my view and a good cleaning is needed. ⁣

⁣My glasses are a perfect reminder of how easy it is to go about our lives and suddenly notice that our own focus is clouded. We’ve been feeling our way, looking through a film of fear, a haze of hate, a glaze of grief, or any other residue we’ve clung to, and now, that’s all we can see. We need to regain clarity. ⁣

⁣“For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; but rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NLT)⁣

⁣I want to see clearly forever! How about you?⁣

This is Day 10 of the 10 Day Writing Prompt Challenge hosted by @fiveminutefriday Today’s prompt is: CLEAR #10daywritingchallenge #writingprompt #fmfparty #hopewriterlife #clear #Icanseeclearlynow #fixyourgazeonHim

It Would Be a Mistake

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“For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NLT)


It Would Be a Mistake

It would be a mistake to think that these past few mild days mean Spring is here. I know from experience that there are more cold, dark days ahead. I also know from experience, that it’s a mistake to think Winter will last forever, too. These little catkins (blooms on a Pussy Willow tree) give me hope! They’re a promise of what’s to come: new life, sunnier days, a fresh start.

I know from experience too, that it’s a mistake to think that our lives are only filled with calm, pleasant days; or, that if we’re frozen in the chill of dark, gloomy times, we’ll stay there forever. We have a Promise of new life, renewal, and days full of Light. We have a Hope!

“Praise God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! God is so good, and by raising Jesus from death, he has given us new life and a hope that lives on.” 1 Peter 1:3 (CEV)

Easter is coming!

This is Day 9 of the 10 Day Writing Prompt Challenge hosted by @fiveminutefriday Today’s prompt is: MISTAKE #10daywritingchallenge #writingprompt #fmfparty #hopewriterlife #mistake #Hopespringseternal

Send a Love Letter

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“We love because he first loved us.” 1 John 4:19 (NIV)

Send a Love Letter

I’m lucky, but I have to remind myself that I’m lucky. I’m lucky because my grandsons only live four hours away from me. I have to remind myself I’m lucky because my grandsons live FOUR hours away from me! Four hours means I miss some of their firsts, I can’t just drop in to share MiMi hugs, or sit with them in church every Sunday.

In between visits I like to write and send the boys letters as reminders of my love for them and to show them that even though we’re not together, I’m thinking of and treasure them. If I’m being honest, I also send them just to be sure my little grands don’t forget me while we’re apart.

Have you ever noticed that God also sends us love notes when we’re feeling far away from Him? Whether through Scripture that takes on new meaning, the words and actions of others, or something in nature that takes our breath away, He reminds us of His love, that we are precious, and always on His mind. God doesn’t want His children to forget Him!

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone just to let them know how much they mean to you? More importantly, how long has it been since you’ve been in touch with the One who loved us first and is never too far away to be part of our everyday lives? I don’t know about you, but it’s time for me to correspond with Him, sending my gratitude as a reminder of MY love.

This is Day 7 of the 10 Day Writing Prompt Challenge hosted by @fiveminutefriday Today’s prompt is: SEND.

“Give thanks to the God of Heaven. His love endures forever. “ Psalm 136:26

Becoming a Table

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“And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6 (NIV)

Becoming a Table

My grandpa was a craftsman. He could look at a block of wood or object, see potential, and with his hands, create something special. This little table is a great example of his ingenuity! The base is a 170 year old half bushel grain measure. It sat beside my grandma’s chair holding her yarn and embroidery thread for as long as I can remember. Now that she’s gone, it resides by MY chair, holding treasures and providing a place for my morning coffee and prayer journal.

I’m pretty sure that when my great-great-great grandfather made his grain measure, he didn’t think that it would one day be used to feed animals on my great-great grandfather’s farm and I’m certain he NEVER imagined it would one day, generations later, be brought inside and become a table!

I cherish this little table and when I run my hand across the aged wood I think of all it has been used for and of the stories it could tell. It’s gong to sound crazy (I know, what’s new) but I can relate to this old grain measure. Maybe you will too!

“Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hand. “ Isaiah 64:8 (NIV)

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepares in advance for us to do. “ Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

Through Christ we too, were created by a Craftsman. I’m not 170 but I can look back through the years of my life and see that I’m different today than I was, I recognize that my purpose has changed as I’ve gotten older, and I appreciate that I’ve been restored by the One who, with His hands and nails, saw my potential and made me new!

We are His masterpieces and He’ll continue crafting us until that one day we’ll finally be perfect and from then on, we’ll reside beside HIS chair for eternity! Oh, the stories we will tell!

This is Day 5 of the 10 Day Writing Prompt Challenge hosted by @fiveminutefriday and for Five Minute Friday where both have the prompt TABLE. You can read more by clicking http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

And if you’re interested, here is the history of my table as written by my Grandpa Stevens:

Before and After

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I talk to my plants. I tell them good morning, stroke their leaves and tell them what a good job they’re doing just as if they were my students. (I know…wackadoodle) This Peace Lily is in a class of its own and has been with us for almost 20 years; but it hasn’t always looked like this. For most of its life it resided in our dining room, a rather cold and dark place. Its leaves drooped, were few in number, and blooms were rare. This was not the plant I expected. I worried over it, but in the end, just felt helpless.

What changed you ask? Life!

After we moved, plant and all, I began noticing new growth sprouting and soon several buds appeared! Today “she” sits right where “she’s” supposed to be: in the light of the sun, and it shows!

We too, go through cold, dark times in our lives. Our spirits sag, joys are sparse, and that saying “bloom where you’re planted” feels impossible! It isn’t the life we expected. We worry and feel helpless. Can you relate?

Here’s what my Lily is teaching me: We can have an after, too! Often those hard places are moving us to right where we’re supposed to be. Are there growing pains? Yes! But when we seek the Light of the Son and trust Him to tend to us, we will begin to thrive and it will show!

Like with any growing season, change is slow, but the beauty that results is worth the work. And often in the process, the opportunity comes along (maybe through a prompt even) when we can share our before and after story to help encourage others to find their place in The Light, too and finally, “bloom where you’re planted” won’t seem impossible at all!

This is Day 4 of the 10 Day Writing Challenge hosted by @fiveminutefriday. Today’s prompt is : AFTER #10daywritingchallenge #writingprompt #after #growthintheLight #hopewriterlife #fmfparty

Before I Write

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“Each time he said, ‘My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” 2 Corinthians 12:9 (NLT)

Before I Write

My laptop sits on the table taunting me. “Just sit down”, it says. “You know you want to!” And I do. Words are bubbling up from my soul to my mind like one of those Science Fair volcanoes, but to let them gush out and share them is scary, so….

Before I write:

The dishwasher needs emptied. The laundry has to be put away. Every little job calls my name.

Before I write:

I’d better think more about it! Think, think, think. Yes, thinking is safe!

Before I write:

It’s imperative I have a great idea and then also feel confident that I can perfectly bring the beginning, middle, and end together in a meaningful way.

Before I write:

I must mute the accusing voice, conquer the fear of failure, and overcome, well, ME!

Here’s a news flash(NOT!)….the crazy process I go through just to write a few words is the same when I sense God’s prompting! That Still Small Voice whispers, “Just get up and go.” It says, “You know you want to!” And I do. Plans and projects to share the Word flow from my soul and flood my heart, but to let them overflow into action is scary, so….

Before I serve:

My expectations must be emptied, my priorities put away, and I search for confidence to be ready for every little job when God calls my name .

Before I serve:

I’m sure more thought is required. Think, think, think. Yes, thinking is safer than stepping out!

Before I serve:

It’s important I’m confident that the idea isn’t just mine and that I am the perfect one to see it through from beginning to end in a way that is meaningful to others.

Before I serve:

I must mute the accuser’s voice, trust in the One who conquers fear, and well, let the Overcomer use me!

As you can see, whether it’s writing, serving, or doing a whole list of other things really, I find a lot of excuses to put them off.  Maybe you’re like me and feel called to action yet hesitate, because also like me, you lack assurance in your abilities.

Here IS the Good News:  “We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God.” 2 Corinthians 3:4-5 (NLT)

The lesson for me, and maybe you too, is that we don’t have to have it all together, be perfect, or see the end before we venture into something new, share our thoughts with others, or answer a Call. We do need to put our trust in the One who goes before us, assured He will equip us with what’s required for the job. Will it still be scary? I think so. But, should we let our fears and insecurities stop us? I’m pretty sure we know the answer to that one!

“The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

I’m writing today to join the other writers at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com where the prompt is “Before”. I encourage you to click over and read what the many talented writers there have come up with! Again, thank you for being here with me. I appreciate it more than you know!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Risk Free Life

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 (NIV)>JESHOOTS.com at Pexels

Risk-Free Life

Imagine a person who lives her life on the “safe side of the sidewalk”, who to stay there, crosses only within the boundaries of the crosswalk and not until the light says go.

Imagine a person who wears a life preserver even in calm, shallow waters for fear something will rock her boat.

Imagine a person who avoids anything  too fast, too closed in, too challenging, or worst of all, too unknown!

Imagine a person with numerous big ideas, bigger dreams, longings, and callings that remain buried and unfulfilled rather than attempting to venture outside her comfort zone.

Imagine a person attempting to live out her life without encountering risk.

Now……

Imagine the One who went to the cross, became the light, and has removed the boundaries between Heaven and earth.

Imagine the One who preserves life for eternity, calms the stormy seas, and beckons us to get out of the boat.

Imagine the One who finds nothing in this fast-paced world challenging, invites us to join Him in spacious places**, and to whom every little part of us is known.

Imagine the One who, to fulfill God’s plan was buried but didn’t remain there; instead, He sits at the right hand of the Father calling us to follow Him to bigger and better things than we could have ever dreamed of.

Imagine the One who risked it all to give us life.

Now……

Imagine what could happen if a person let go of her fear and put all her trust in the One!

Now…..THAT would be truly living a risk-free life!

P.S. We don’t have to just “imagine”!
“Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT)

Joining today with other writers in TWO places! You can learn more at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com and https://anitaojeda.com/welcome-to-the-write-28-days-blogging-challenge/ This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt is “Risk” and the prompt for Day 21 of the Write 28 Days Challenge is “Numerous”. I know you’ll enjoy reading the offerings on both sites! As always, I hope you know how much I appreciate the support you give me by being here!  **five minutes

 

 

 

 

 

More Than Enough

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“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NLT)

More Than Enough

Over the years, I’ve been inspired by several excellent cooks and one of my favorites was my friend, Evelyn. She always created dishes that lured you back for seconds! (And maybe thirds if it was her homemade bread and jelly!) Now, most people would be happy if their guests left little behind at the end of a meal, but not Evelyn.  Her philosophy was to provide all we could eat and still have more to serve. “Enough” was not in Evelyn’s vocabulary. She’d always keep watch and when she saw something running low, she was ready to fill it right back up.  By her example, I’ve learned to always be prepared to offer more than enough. And that’s exactly what I try to do whether cooking for two or twenty-two! I only wish I was better at applying “Evelyn’s Way” when offering my talents, too.

“By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. ‘This is a remote place,’ they said, ‘and it’s already very late. Send the people away so that they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat.’ But He answered, ‘ You give them something to eat.’ They said to Him, ‘That would take more than half a year’s wages! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?’ ‘How many loves do you have?’ He asked. ‘Go and see.’ When they found out, they said, ‘Five-and two fish.’ Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves.  Then He gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.” Mark 6:35-44 (NIV)

I’m afraid when it comes to thinking about offering to others the talents and abilities God’s given me, I’m an awful lot like the disciples in the scripture above, offering excuses instead: “Wrong place and time, There’s someone else who can serve them, I don’t have the means, Surely, you don’t expect that of me?”  I’m still learning, maybe I’m not the only one, the same thing the disciples were: that when we place our little into Jesus’s hands, He’ll make it into more than enough to be shared with those around us!

I don’t know about you, but for me, in today’s social media driven world, it’s easy to look around and feel I don’t have as much on my plate to offer as others do. But, just as a meal in Evelyn’s hands provided her family and friends with all they needed and more, so are we in the hands of the One who has given us our talent in the first place. He’s watching and ready to fill us with not just enough, but rather in “Evelyn’s Way”; so, that whether we’re around the table, sitting in the green grass, or anywhere else, we’ll have more than enough of what we need to serve one another OR even five thousand others, well!

Joining today with other writers in TWO places! You can learn more at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com and https://anitaojeda.com/welcome-to-the-write-28-days-blogging-challenge/ This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt is “Talent” and the prompt for Day 7 of the Write 28 Days Challenge is “Enough”. I know you’ll enjoy reading the offerings on both sites! As always, I hope you know how much I appreciate the support you give me by being here! 

 

Begin at the Beginning

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“In the beginning God….” Genesis 1:1a (NLT)

Begin at the Beginning

The beginning of a trip is always difficult. There are preparations to be made, suitcases to be packed, things that must be left behind, and you actually have to take that first step to be on your way. Our life journey leading to see our true selves is not so different: We spend time preparing, carry A LOT of baggage to bring along (most of mine has been gathered, carefully folded, and packed away by yours truly), there are definitely things we’d like to leave behind, and stepping into who we’re meant to be often proves to be a little daunting. But, if we’re going to get anywhere, step out we must.

“So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27 (NLT)

When looking in a mirror, how often do we say to ourselves, “Wow! I am the spitting image of God!” I don’t know about you, but I’m not sure that’s ever been my response as I’ve analyzed the reflection staring back at me. Why is that?

“Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!” Genesis 1:31a (NLT)

Did you catch that? God didn’t look at humankind and say, “I guess they’re ok.” And he didn’t even describe His creation as “good”; no, God looked upon all he’d made, including man and woman and declared them to be VERY good! Again, there are few times that I stand in front of a mirror and describe what I see as “very good” and I have a feeling I’m not alone.

So, when did we (OK, me) begin to look at ourselves and focus only on the unruly, curly hair (or freckles, weight, sagging skin…you get the idea) instead of seeing the image of God? What causes us to point out all the negative things we pick up on rather than leaning in closer to find the reflection of Christ? And why do we feel we must try harder, work longer, achieve more to make up for our perceived shortcomings when “In the beginning God…”

We can spend so much time believing we’re not enough that we forget that God IS. This is where my journey, and yours too must begin! When we travel to learn more about who God created us to be, we’ll be headed toward a destination where old thoughts and ways can be left  behind, extra baggage we’ve been carrying will be unpacked, and we can confidently step into who we’re meant to be. Exploring new places (especially within ourselves) can sometimes be difficult. There may be wrong turns, detours, dead ends, and if you’re like me, we’ll ask, “Are we there yet:” (probably more than once); but from the beginning, God invited us to join Him on the open road and sent Jesus to help get us to our journey’s end:

“But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord.  And the Lord-who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.” 2 Corinthians

Yes, with the Lord we are changing! Step by step, He teaches us to trust His plan, how to lighten our load, and to leave worrying about our old selves (curly hair, wrinkles, and all) behind. From beginning to end, our journey to becoming more like Christ is leading us to a place where we’ll finally learn to look at ourselves in the mirror, see the “glorious image” He sees, and truly believe, “It is very good!”

Joining today with other writers in TWO places! You can learn more at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com and https://anitaojeda.com/welcome-to-the-write-28-days-blogging-challenge/ This week’s Five Minute Friday prompt is “Life” and the prompt for Day 1 of the Write 28 Days Challenge is “Begin”. I know you’ll enjoy reading the offerings on both sites! As always, I hope you know how much I appreciate the support you give me by being here!