Making a L.I.F.E.

By Kathryn C. Lang

I have been caught up in living. Between the doing for the family, doing for the church and squeezing in some doing for my own career, I have lived so fast that I have almost missed out on life. Stopping to smell the roses is not about going through this world in a slow pace. It is a reminder that as we go through this world we are to remember that life should be more important than living.

L.I.F.E

Love – first and foremost, we are designed to love. Love God and love others and everything else will fall in to place. I keep seeing the need for relationships in every part of my day and from every direction. I was not designed to be a solitary animal. Relationships are important and love must be the foundation of them all.

Invest – growing anything takes time. Growing strong relationships requires an investment of time, energy, and self. Until I get to the place where I am willing to invest, I will always be missing that something more that makes the living worth it.

Forgive – a heart fostering hurt only hurts itself. Forgiveness is not for the benefit of others, but for the blessing of my own heart. I can learn to live when I first begin to forgive.

Encourage – a happy heart is good medicine for self and for all those it encounters. Share a smile. Share some hope. Through sharing, you will find that encouragement grows best in your own life when it is released freely and without concern to others. It comes back and makes the day full of the Son.

Make the most of your life. Love, invest, forgive and encourage and see that the roses have a new scent, the laughter dances on the wind and hope springs eternal.

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Kathryn C. Lang shares words of hope and inspiration as a full-time wordsmith. Come on over to her website, www.kathrynclang.com and visit with her. She would love to hear from you.

EMBRACING BRACES

By Sharon Wilhite

Three years ago, in February of 2010, our daughter was blessed with braces (compliments of a generous neighbor!). Now, when I was growing up, braces were considered more of a curse than a blessing. Taunts, pain, and metallic ugliness were endured while awaiting orthodontic perfection.

 

These days, most adolescents embrace braces (get it?!) as a fashion statement. Every month my daughter (and her sister who also flaunts braces) coordinate a new color of dental rubber bands to fit their current wardrobe. Thousands of dollars invested to straighten teeth, and all they focus on is if neon green or hot pink would be the better shade for that particular season, month, or approaching holiday! Sure there is also pain involved; sometimes LOTS of pain. But, it all seems worthwhile when that special someone (or anyone) notices the new shade and comments, "Wow! that rubber band color looks really great on you!"

 

Today, she finally had her braces removed, and we celebrated with a Culver's hot fudge sundae. Was she ecstatic over a new, perfect, filed-down smile? Or was she sad about the loss of a very visible fashion accessory? I don't know; you'll have to ask her!

 

 

Wondering About God?

By Michael Elmore


Have you ever wondered about God? I mean really wondered about him? ...That's good because that means you have begun a spiritual journey and you have a sincere desire to find God. So as you are wondering about God, you may be relieved and excited to discover that God has provided several ways for us to learn more about him. Besides this, God promises us that "everyone who seeks will find (Matt. 7:8)." You can depend on that!

One of those ways is that God has revealed himself to us is through his Son, Jesus. Jesus said that he and God are One and that if you have seen him, then you have seen God. The best way to learn about God then is to learn about Jesus by reading about his life in the Bible. Open up your mind to learn more about God.

Another way that God reveals himself is through his actions. One of the greatest things God reveals is that He is Love. God loves you and me so much that he acted by sending Jesus to earth to give his life for us. Jesus said that no one can prove his love in any better way than by laying his life down for them. Open up your heart, let God's love touch you deep inside and invite him into your life.

Finally, one of the most important ways to learn about God is by talking to him and getting to know him. Can you imagine trying to get to know someone but never even talking to them? Praying (talking with God) is crucial to someone wondering about God. It's the best way to get to know him personally. You may be surprised to learn that God is longing to talk with you. Open up your spirit and discover that God wants to know you and that he is vitally concerned for you.

Wondering about God is a journey. It starts with a glimmer of hope that maybe there is a God and if so what are the personal implications of His existence to me. Wondering about God leads to discovering God and a revolutionary and fundamental change in your world view. Suddenly, God is at the Center and you have a personal relationship with Him through Jesus Christ. The beauty of it all is wondering about God never ends – it’s a life long journey that grows, and grows, and grows. We discover new things about God every single day. Keep wondering, you will find Him as your journey continues. (Matt. 7:7).

Frequently Thought Responses to FAQ in Pregnancy

By Charis Seeley

My husband and I are expecting our second child in early September, and few things bother me quite so much as the grammatical implications of, “Do you know what you’re having?” A baby. It’s a baby.

 

 

Frequently Thought Responses to FAQ in Pregnancy

We’re due in September.

This is our second child.

No, we’re not having any more.

Oh, that’s nice. Yes. Mm-hm.

I’m glad having seven children worked out for you,
but I’m really sure two is enough for me.

More to love, yes.

No, two. I’m really extra sure on this.

What?

Oh, we think we’ll have a boy, but we’ll see.

It might be a velociraptor or a litter of kittens.

I guess you just never really know.

Yes, I am getting larger.

Thank you. Thank you so much for that.

All the mirrors at my house broke.

It’s so helpful to have people like you around.

QUESTIONS, ANYONE?

By Nerola (Rolie) Grady


Mom always told me that I had tons of questions from the time I was little. What makes this go? Why does that happen? She welcomed my naptime as a silent oasis in the middle of each day. Little did she realize that I was recharging my batteries for Round Two in the afternoon!

Then as now, my mind is usually going at a fast pace. How about you? What puzzles you, frustrates you, or just keeps you up at night? Here are a few of my latest bunch of brain teasers:

-How do you stop the automatic number indentation in WORD documents?
-Are there any politicians with common sense?
-What ‘special place’ did I designate for the birthday fund?
-What can I make for supper when brain fog rolls in at 4:00 p.m.?

These are small items…nothing earth shaking, but they do pilfer emotional pocket change if I let them. It got me to look more closely at this subject. Can anything good come out of a pile of questions?

I used to think the answer was no. It’s easier to settle into a daily routine and know exactly what is coming next. But all routine and no change saps the color out of life.

If you want to get from Point A to Point B, you usually need some kind of road map to show the way. What if questions are the brain’s way of spurring you on to the next change point? Something like a mental walking stick.
Big challenges seem insurmountable until broken down to bite size pieces.

Next to a good belly laugh, don’t you love it when the light bulb turns on…when the answer finally comes? It’s like a tiny bubble of resolution in a sea of ambiguity. One problem down, several more to go. Will I ever get all my questions resolved? Probably not, but what makes the process special are the answers that become life changers for me.