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February 14, 2014

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God's Grace & Love, Holidays & Holy Days, Thanks & Praise

He Sends Us Valentimes Every Day (Valentine’s Day)

But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me, and through each night I sing his songs, praying to God who gives me life. [Psalm 42:8 (NLT)]

We are loved and God doesn’t play favorites with his people. He couldn’t love any of us more than he already does and He won’t love any of us less. He loves the leper as much as the missionary, the street-weary prostitute as much as the social worker, the homeless addict as much as the soup-kitchen volunteer, the embezzler as much as the humanitarian and the sinner as much as the saint. No one is considered damaged goods or ‘seconds’ in God’s world. He loves us all! Thank you, God, for your unwavering love for us your flawed children.

God does not love us because we are valuable. We are valuable because God loves us. [Fulton J. Sheen]

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February 13, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Joy, Today: Make it Count

Our Days Are Numbered

Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure. [Psalm 39:4-5 (NIV)]

Within a few days’ time, I met one woman who recently lost her husband to cancer and another who would soon lose her husband to cancer, not because he is ill but because of her terminal illness. Both women were fully aware of the fragility of life and how quickly one’s life can change. Rather than complain about the unfairness, sorrow and pain of their circumstances, both women said they count their blessings daily and thank God for every one of them. People of faith, these women have come to terms with God’s plan and a sense of peace radiated from them both.

Lord, our time here is brief. Guide us so we make the most of every day. Don’t let us squander time and energy on petty complaints, in self-pity, anger or resentment. Show us how to savor each minute and squeeze every moment of joy out of life that is humanly possible. Help us to find your love in all circumstances and enable us to see and appreciate each day’s blessings.

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. [Psalm 90:12 (NIV)]

It’s only when we truly know and understand that we have a limited time on earth – and that we have no way of knowing when our time is up – that we will begin to live each day to the fullest, as if it was the only one we had. [Elizabeth Kübler Ross]

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February 12, 2014

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Faith & Hope, God's Promises, Trusting God, Wisdom & Guidance

Blind Faith

Send your light and your truth. Let them guide me. Let them bring me to your holy mountain and to your dwelling place. [Psalm 43:3 (GW)]

Have you ever seen a blind skier navigate down a mountain slope? The visually impaired skier is guided down the slope by a sighted skier who calls out to him when to turn and which direction to take. The blind skier has to have complete trust in his guide and must listen carefully to his instruction. When his guide says, “Turn right,” the skier doesn’t reply, “Do I really have to?” When told to get off the chair lift, he doesn’t try to second-guess his guide asking, “Are you sure?” When instructed to stop, the blind skier doesn’t argue saying, “But, I don’t want to!” No, he obeys. This is, indeed, a true example of “blind faith.” That is the kind of faith and trust we need to have in our life’s guide: God.

I know not the way God leads me, but well do I know my Guide. [Martin Luther]

I lead the blind on unfamiliar roads. I will lead them on unfamiliar paths. I will turn darkness into light in front of them. I will make rough places smooth. These are the things I will do for them, and I will never abandon them. [Isaiah 42:16 (GW)]

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February 11, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Love & Works, Prayer

All the World is Not a Stage

Be especially careful when you are trying to be good so that you don’t make a performance out of it. It might be good theater, but the God who made you won’t be applauding. [Matthew 6:1 (MSG)]

Guide us, Lord, so that our actions speak louder than our words; let our hearts speak loudest of all. Keep us humble and our motives pure so that neither words nor actions are ever used to impress you or other people. May we be more faithful, loving and generous in private than we ever are in public.

And when you come before God, don’t turn that into a theatrical production either. All these people making a regular show out of their prayers, hoping for stardom! Do you think God sits in a box seat? [Matthew 6:5 (MSG)]

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February 9, 2014

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Attitudes & Behavior, Challenges & Difficulty, Thanks & Praise

Gratitude is Possible

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. [1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT)]

I just viewed a commercial that showed an amazing family. They lost their son in the shootings at Columbine and, since that tragedy, the mother has suffered a heart attack and the father has been on dialysis. The mother spoke about taking what has been given, learning from it and becoming a better person because of it. She ended by saying, “That’s why I feel we’re blessed.” Talk about gratitude! I have no idea what was being advertised, but that ad certainly put my petty complaints into perspective. If that family can still experience gratitude, we, too, can be “thankful in all circumstances”!

Father, it’s so easy to see you in the beauty and joys of life: rainbows and flowers, healing and birth, love and laughter. Open our eyes to your presence in all aspects of life, even the ugly and sad: storms and destruction, illness and heartbreak, tears and even death. Give us the ability to see the good that can come from heartbreak and tragedy; help us count our blessings and not our pain.

Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness. [Colossians 2:7 (NLT)]