Christmas is barreling down upon us like a runaway freight train. The lights on the Christmas tree are as bright as the light on the train’s engine. Each year I think this is the year I’m going to get to enjoy the season, spending time with friends and just enjoying the fact the Christmas only comes once a year.
But alas that is not so. For the next week and a half I have something scheduled every day. Granted they may be small things, but still to have something on each and every day and sometimes two on one day; doesn’t bode well for my already tired brain.
Why do I do it? I know the word “no” why can’t I use it? Because this is a special time of the year and I want everybody to have and be able to do everything they want, even if that means driving an hour to watch a Christmas concert or driving thirty minutes to pick up just the right gift.
But don’t we all do it? I don’t ask what people NEED for Christmas, I ask what they WANT. Christmas it not the time to give needs, it’s a time to grant wishes. It’s a time to remember that because of a baby boy life is worth living.
Raised as I was, I don’t necessarily believe that Jesus was born on Christmas, but if it gets the rest of the world to recognize and talk about him, so be it. But he was born a baby. He made a decision to be born a baby and come to live as a human man, to suffer all the indignities that that entails, to love and be loved, to be scorned and then to be killed in the most heinous way that time had to offer.
As the days hurl by and Christmas comes closer, I hope to dwell on that baby boy whose ultimate death give my life meaning. I would like to crowd out the have tos and the running from one thing to anther and the barrage of Christmas songs over store loud speakers and dwell for a moment in the glory of that baby boy. And nights when I go in and shut my door and crawl on my bed for a nap, I hope to remember that that baby boy withdrew and had quiet time alone to recharge his batteries and that it’s okay.
But mostly I want to revel in love: love for family and friends, and the love that I have from God and my savior. I want to savor this time of year and the way it makes me feel and pack it away in tissue so I can pull it out and drink it in when things turn sour. I want to hold it close but also let it go so that is spreads to others and I see the light in their eyes. That baby boy makes it possible.
So here’s to eggnog, cakes, tinsel and tree, stockings and bows and kids full of glee. To those who are here and those who are far, Christmas was found by seeing a star.
To all of you, Merry Christmas.
Stevie
copywrite ©2010 Stevie Stevens Fort Worth, TX. For information please contact Faithleap@sbcglobal.net
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
It's That Time!
H – Holiday from work
A – Abundant table
P – Pleasant conversation
P – Platters piled high
Y – Yams with nuts or marshmallows
T – Time with family and friends
H – Hours available to cook and clean
A – All welcome
N – Nice special occasion dishes
K – Kitchen
S – Stove that is electric
G – God’s good gifts
I – Inviting smells from the kitchen
V – Various football games
I – Ingrained traditions
N – Nodding off after lunch
G – Grace
A – Abundant table
P – Pleasant conversation
P – Platters piled high
Y – Yams with nuts or marshmallows
T – Time with family and friends
H – Hours available to cook and clean
A – All welcome
N – Nice special occasion dishes
K – Kitchen
S – Stove that is electric
G – God’s good gifts
I – Inviting smells from the kitchen
V – Various football games
I – Ingrained traditions
N – Nodding off after lunch
G – Grace
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Worry
Do Not Worry
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
Somebody did a study on what the average person worries about. They found that 40% of what people worry about never happens, 30% has already happened and they can’t do anything about it, 12% is what others say about you that is, most of the time, untrue; and finally 10% deals with health, and worrying will only make that worse. That leaves 8% for the things that are considered to be real problems, and worry doesn’t help with those either.
Worry is like a rocking chair, “it will give you something to do, but gets you nowhere.” It is also like a disease “it infects everyone yet no one seeks a cure.” Worry is a sin dangerous enough to ruin my physical and spiritual vitality and drain my life of hope and joy; and generates the kind of peace-robbing emotional spirit that weakens and tires me. Yet, knowing that, I still worry. . . a lot! Here are five ways to win the war over worry:
Trust in the Lord
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
I trust God in the big decisions, where should I live or work, my children, my mate, but do I trust God in the small stuff? What shall I wear or eat today? He loves me and wants to be involved in my life, just as I am involved in my children’s or friends’ lives. I need to Trust in him with ALL my heart.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6. Do not be anxious or worried or fret about anything. That’s a command. Do not be doesn’t leave a question in my mind. I am not to worry, fret or be anxious about one thing. How many times, when there’s an important appointment in the morning, do I set the alarm, but can’t sleep because I’m afraid it won’t go off? And how about arriving 3 hours early for a plane? That’s not going to make that plane take off one minute earlier.
“But in everything,” again, that leaves nothing out, “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” When I’ve lost something, I should start out by thanking God for what I have left. Do I have loved ones? Do I have clothes and shelter, or food for the next meal? Do I still have all the important parts of my body?
Dr. Alexander Kidd, was a great clergyman who lived in Aberdeen. He was well known to theologians and pastors. One day, he got very angry and upset and said the wrong words as he left a gathering of his closest Christian colleagues. Dr. Kidd was feeling very guilty and said “Tell me why can I handle the big trials, but it’s the little ones, the petty annoyances that irate me and I say things that would embarrass my Lord, Jesus Christ? Why can I handle the big things and not the little ones?”
One of his colleagues answered, “Good brother, Dr. Kidd, I know the answer. You take the big ones to God, completely, and you trust Him. But with the little ones, you don’t bother him. You think you can handle them yourself.”
Dr. Kidd said, “Aye, aye, the true cause, I do believe. I have to learn to take the little things, as well as the big ones, to God.”
Don’t worry because I have taken everything to God in prayer and trust that he will take care of it.
Do Good
One of the signs that I’m not trusting God is that I drop out of my usual activities. Then I get down. I say, “I lost my job!” Well, what am I doing about it? “Well, I’m just sitting around the house!” Well, quit it! Get out there and do something trusting God to provide! Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Besides, helping others takes my mind off my troubles.
Delight Myself in the Lord
What a wonderful word, delight. It means a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment, joy, rapture, something that gives great pleasure, satisfaction, please highly, to have great pleasure or take pleasure. The Psalms state that God delights in me. Psalm 147:11 “The Lord DELIGHTS in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 37:23 “If the Lord DELIGHTS in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm.” Psalm 22:8 “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
He enjoys me, he waits patiently for me to acknowledge him, and include him. I picture him in the same state as a child who is sitting on the top step waiting to be called to the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. His eyes are bright, there’s a smile on his face and he’s waiting in eager anticipation for me to call out to him. I should have the same feeling towards him, and when I am full of delight and joy, there is no room for worry.
Commit My Way to the Lord
Commit means literally “to roll”. It means to roll my burden on the Lord. Whatever that burden is, I am to give it to God. His shoulders are broad enough. Matthew 11:30 “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” As I have gone through tough times, divorce, losing my job, not feeling well, Satan tries his tricks on me. He sends discouragement, disappointment, worry, maybe even anger. As I’ve matured I’ve learned to see that it is Satan warring against my spirit. I consciously make a choice not to listen to him, because if I do, he wins. I learned a long time ago that Satan is like a very ardent suitor. He tells me what I want to hear, does things with me I like to do, asking only that I follow him. But, as soon as I do, he’s gone. He’s won my hand, so he drops me like a hot potato, leaving me to fend for myself.
As soon as little sniggles of worry come into my mind, I turn them immediately over to God. Every morning, I give myself and my day to God, knowing that he wants only what’s best for me and that together he and I can face anything. He tells me he loves me and, having struggled with feelings of unloveability, I cling to that and know that he’s really there for me, so I must be there for him. There’s an old hymn that says “I can’t even walk without holding your hand”, and that’s the way I feel. If I’m not holding on to his precious, loving hand, I’m laying face down in the dirt.
Rest in the Lord
Such a lovely picture. Jesus, sitting with his arms open wide beckoning me to crawl up in his lap and lay my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around me and says, “shhhhh.” There is no business, no interruptions, only soul to soul communication from me to my brother, my savior. Psalm 23 says he restores my soul. Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. Content, untouched by trouble. Can’t we all use some of that kind of rest?
The more I trust, the less I worry. Rather than worry all night, wouldn’t it be smarter to pray half the night and then sleep comfortably till morning? God’s going to be up anyway.
Replacing worry with trust gives me the ability to enjoy and appreciate my life.
Replacing worry with trust permits me to work hard and leave the results to God.
Replacing worry with trust helps me relax and truly value my friends and family.
Replacing worry with trust strengthens my faith in the God who always loves me.
Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its trouble, it empties today of its strength.
Trust in the Lord, do good, delight in the Lord, commit my way to the Lord, and rest in the Lord. A little bit of prayer sure beats a lot of worry.
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
Somebody did a study on what the average person worries about. They found that 40% of what people worry about never happens, 30% has already happened and they can’t do anything about it, 12% is what others say about you that is, most of the time, untrue; and finally 10% deals with health, and worrying will only make that worse. That leaves 8% for the things that are considered to be real problems, and worry doesn’t help with those either.
Worry is like a rocking chair, “it will give you something to do, but gets you nowhere.” It is also like a disease “it infects everyone yet no one seeks a cure.” Worry is a sin dangerous enough to ruin my physical and spiritual vitality and drain my life of hope and joy; and generates the kind of peace-robbing emotional spirit that weakens and tires me. Yet, knowing that, I still worry. . . a lot! Here are five ways to win the war over worry:
Trust in the Lord
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”
I trust God in the big decisions, where should I live or work, my children, my mate, but do I trust God in the small stuff? What shall I wear or eat today? He loves me and wants to be involved in my life, just as I am involved in my children’s or friends’ lives. I need to Trust in him with ALL my heart.
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6. Do not be anxious or worried or fret about anything. That’s a command. Do not be doesn’t leave a question in my mind. I am not to worry, fret or be anxious about one thing. How many times, when there’s an important appointment in the morning, do I set the alarm, but can’t sleep because I’m afraid it won’t go off? And how about arriving 3 hours early for a plane? That’s not going to make that plane take off one minute earlier.
“But in everything,” again, that leaves nothing out, “by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” When I’ve lost something, I should start out by thanking God for what I have left. Do I have loved ones? Do I have clothes and shelter, or food for the next meal? Do I still have all the important parts of my body?
Dr. Alexander Kidd, was a great clergyman who lived in Aberdeen. He was well known to theologians and pastors. One day, he got very angry and upset and said the wrong words as he left a gathering of his closest Christian colleagues. Dr. Kidd was feeling very guilty and said “Tell me why can I handle the big trials, but it’s the little ones, the petty annoyances that irate me and I say things that would embarrass my Lord, Jesus Christ? Why can I handle the big things and not the little ones?”
One of his colleagues answered, “Good brother, Dr. Kidd, I know the answer. You take the big ones to God, completely, and you trust Him. But with the little ones, you don’t bother him. You think you can handle them yourself.”
Dr. Kidd said, “Aye, aye, the true cause, I do believe. I have to learn to take the little things, as well as the big ones, to God.”
Don’t worry because I have taken everything to God in prayer and trust that he will take care of it.
Do Good
One of the signs that I’m not trusting God is that I drop out of my usual activities. Then I get down. I say, “I lost my job!” Well, what am I doing about it? “Well, I’m just sitting around the house!” Well, quit it! Get out there and do something trusting God to provide! Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Besides, helping others takes my mind off my troubles.
Delight Myself in the Lord
What a wonderful word, delight. It means a high degree of pleasure or enjoyment, joy, rapture, something that gives great pleasure, satisfaction, please highly, to have great pleasure or take pleasure. The Psalms state that God delights in me. Psalm 147:11 “The Lord DELIGHTS in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 37:23 “If the Lord DELIGHTS in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm.” Psalm 22:8 “He trusts in the Lord; let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”
He enjoys me, he waits patiently for me to acknowledge him, and include him. I picture him in the same state as a child who is sitting on the top step waiting to be called to the Christmas tree on Christmas morning. His eyes are bright, there’s a smile on his face and he’s waiting in eager anticipation for me to call out to him. I should have the same feeling towards him, and when I am full of delight and joy, there is no room for worry.
Commit My Way to the Lord
Commit means literally “to roll”. It means to roll my burden on the Lord. Whatever that burden is, I am to give it to God. His shoulders are broad enough. Matthew 11:30 “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” As I have gone through tough times, divorce, losing my job, not feeling well, Satan tries his tricks on me. He sends discouragement, disappointment, worry, maybe even anger. As I’ve matured I’ve learned to see that it is Satan warring against my spirit. I consciously make a choice not to listen to him, because if I do, he wins. I learned a long time ago that Satan is like a very ardent suitor. He tells me what I want to hear, does things with me I like to do, asking only that I follow him. But, as soon as I do, he’s gone. He’s won my hand, so he drops me like a hot potato, leaving me to fend for myself.
As soon as little sniggles of worry come into my mind, I turn them immediately over to God. Every morning, I give myself and my day to God, knowing that he wants only what’s best for me and that together he and I can face anything. He tells me he loves me and, having struggled with feelings of unloveability, I cling to that and know that he’s really there for me, so I must be there for him. There’s an old hymn that says “I can’t even walk without holding your hand”, and that’s the way I feel. If I’m not holding on to his precious, loving hand, I’m laying face down in the dirt.
Rest in the Lord
Such a lovely picture. Jesus, sitting with his arms open wide beckoning me to crawl up in his lap and lay my head on his shoulder. He wraps his arms around me and says, “shhhhh.” There is no business, no interruptions, only soul to soul communication from me to my brother, my savior. Psalm 23 says he restores my soul. Matthew 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Proverbs 19:23 “The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble.” Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. Content, untouched by trouble. Can’t we all use some of that kind of rest?
The more I trust, the less I worry. Rather than worry all night, wouldn’t it be smarter to pray half the night and then sleep comfortably till morning? God’s going to be up anyway.
Replacing worry with trust gives me the ability to enjoy and appreciate my life.
Replacing worry with trust permits me to work hard and leave the results to God.
Replacing worry with trust helps me relax and truly value my friends and family.
Replacing worry with trust strengthens my faith in the God who always loves me.
Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its trouble, it empties today of its strength.
Trust in the Lord, do good, delight in the Lord, commit my way to the Lord, and rest in the Lord. A little bit of prayer sure beats a lot of worry.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Too Stupid?
Have you ever had a day come upon you that convinces you that you are just too stupid to live? I had one of those this week. It was Tuesday to be exact. It all started innocently enough . . .
On my way to work I decided I needed gas, to I drove to my neighborhood QT along with every one else in the world to fill up. As luck would have it, I actually found an empty pump so I pulled in. I put the gas nozzle in my tank and turned it on, then I went inside to buy a coke. Stood in line, so it took a few minutes. Came back out and the pump was off so I shut it off took my receipt, got in the car, reset the mileage and off I went, secure in the fact that I now had a full tank of gas.
On my way home, my little fuel pump light comes on and dings at me, indicating that I am low on gas. What? I just filled up. Of course my brain went into hyper drive and I determined that I must have a leak in my fuel line somewhere and that I’m going to blow up any minute even though I didn’t smell gas, and should I get some gas before I have it checked just to watch it run out, but will I run out of gas before I can get somewhere to get it checked. Then I heard “STOP!” I took a breath and reached in my purse for the receipt. That would tell me exactly how much gas had leaked out. I pulled it out and looked. It was for 0.90. 90 cents! I only got 90 cents worth of gas? Then I started laughing. The pump must have shut off almost as I got into the store, but I didn’t check. I should have because my Jeep is really bad about shutting the pump off right after it starts, but I wasn’t standing there.
Sheepishly I drive back to QT and filled it up, standing there the whole time to make sure I actually got gas. I guess the 90 cents filled it up enough that the warning light went off. So there’s my Stupid is as Stupid Does story. And they gave me a license to drive!
The good news is I didn’t have a fuel leak and have to spend hundreds of dollars, the people at QT had changed shifts so they didn’t know I was back for the second time, and even if I was who says I didn’t drive it all out. Which technically I did. I drove the 90 cents worth out going to work, so all’s well that ends well.
Still laughing,
Stevie
Copywrite © 2010 Stevie Stevens, Fort Worth, TX. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net
On my way to work I decided I needed gas, to I drove to my neighborhood QT along with every one else in the world to fill up. As luck would have it, I actually found an empty pump so I pulled in. I put the gas nozzle in my tank and turned it on, then I went inside to buy a coke. Stood in line, so it took a few minutes. Came back out and the pump was off so I shut it off took my receipt, got in the car, reset the mileage and off I went, secure in the fact that I now had a full tank of gas.
On my way home, my little fuel pump light comes on and dings at me, indicating that I am low on gas. What? I just filled up. Of course my brain went into hyper drive and I determined that I must have a leak in my fuel line somewhere and that I’m going to blow up any minute even though I didn’t smell gas, and should I get some gas before I have it checked just to watch it run out, but will I run out of gas before I can get somewhere to get it checked. Then I heard “STOP!” I took a breath and reached in my purse for the receipt. That would tell me exactly how much gas had leaked out. I pulled it out and looked. It was for 0.90. 90 cents! I only got 90 cents worth of gas? Then I started laughing. The pump must have shut off almost as I got into the store, but I didn’t check. I should have because my Jeep is really bad about shutting the pump off right after it starts, but I wasn’t standing there.
Sheepishly I drive back to QT and filled it up, standing there the whole time to make sure I actually got gas. I guess the 90 cents filled it up enough that the warning light went off. So there’s my Stupid is as Stupid Does story. And they gave me a license to drive!
The good news is I didn’t have a fuel leak and have to spend hundreds of dollars, the people at QT had changed shifts so they didn’t know I was back for the second time, and even if I was who says I didn’t drive it all out. Which technically I did. I drove the 90 cents worth out going to work, so all’s well that ends well.
Still laughing,
Stevie
Copywrite © 2010 Stevie Stevens, Fort Worth, TX. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Baby Steps
The last two weeks have been a chaotic jumble. If I were to add a soundtrack to it, it would be bass and kettle drums pounding out a beat with discordant piano notes in randomness floating throughout and throwing in the sounds of trumpets ever so often just to grab some attention. My plate was already full and overflowing with good works and then I got to throw in an unexpected last minute business trip. Add in a little work on my house and well, you can see why I have been absent from the blog world.
I have had a kaleidoscope of workers around my house for the last month, and while they are necessary and the improvements they have brought about are appreciated, I’m ready to stop having outsiders around. I was on four planes touching three states and ended the two weeks with two performances of a play I was involved with at church. The chaos ended with my great nephew K’s 1st birthday party. Well attended by loving grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, he celebrated in style with lots of icing on his face. He was the center of attention and while he wasn’t really sure why, he still loved it.
He’s got the wobbly legs of a first walker and plants himself face first on many occasions, but he is getting better. How much we encourage those first few steps, how terrifying to be the one who has to let go, even for something better. Uh oh, that’s sounding a little too close to home.
How many times have I felt God and Jesus encouraging me to let go so they can give me something better. And I don’t because it’s safe. Or it’s how it’s always been. Or I can’t possibly do that, I don’t have the skills, and on and on and on until he leaves and finds someone who will let go.
Come to me, and Peter did. Walking on rocky seas, eyes planted firmly on his savior until he glanced away, then he sank. I wonder what caught his eye that made him take his eyes off Jesus. A big fish? A giant wave? The devil? He’ll do anything to get our focus off Jesus, even for just a moment.
Yes, K is mobile and what a great big world is opened up for him. Places he can’t even imagine await his curiosity. What about me? What places await me? How safe is safe? To the point of growing roots because I’ve stood too long? Fear of failure? Well, that boat has sailed several times and I managed to live through them all. Next time I’m with K I’m going to watch him let go and walk with complete abandon, sure in the knowledge that if he falls, someone is there to kiss away the hurts, set him back on his feet and point him in the right direction. Who knows, maybe I’ll be right behind him.
Philosophically yours,
Stevie
Copywrite © 2010 Fort Worth, TX Stevie Stevens. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net.
I have had a kaleidoscope of workers around my house for the last month, and while they are necessary and the improvements they have brought about are appreciated, I’m ready to stop having outsiders around. I was on four planes touching three states and ended the two weeks with two performances of a play I was involved with at church. The chaos ended with my great nephew K’s 1st birthday party. Well attended by loving grandparents, great grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins, he celebrated in style with lots of icing on his face. He was the center of attention and while he wasn’t really sure why, he still loved it.
He’s got the wobbly legs of a first walker and plants himself face first on many occasions, but he is getting better. How much we encourage those first few steps, how terrifying to be the one who has to let go, even for something better. Uh oh, that’s sounding a little too close to home.
How many times have I felt God and Jesus encouraging me to let go so they can give me something better. And I don’t because it’s safe. Or it’s how it’s always been. Or I can’t possibly do that, I don’t have the skills, and on and on and on until he leaves and finds someone who will let go.
Come to me, and Peter did. Walking on rocky seas, eyes planted firmly on his savior until he glanced away, then he sank. I wonder what caught his eye that made him take his eyes off Jesus. A big fish? A giant wave? The devil? He’ll do anything to get our focus off Jesus, even for just a moment.
Yes, K is mobile and what a great big world is opened up for him. Places he can’t even imagine await his curiosity. What about me? What places await me? How safe is safe? To the point of growing roots because I’ve stood too long? Fear of failure? Well, that boat has sailed several times and I managed to live through them all. Next time I’m with K I’m going to watch him let go and walk with complete abandon, sure in the knowledge that if he falls, someone is there to kiss away the hurts, set him back on his feet and point him in the right direction. Who knows, maybe I’ll be right behind him.
Philosophically yours,
Stevie
Copywrite © 2010 Fort Worth, TX Stevie Stevens. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Monday
This poor day has gotten a bad reputation over the years. The week-end is over, and we have to go back to work or school. Diets always start on Mondays. People on the way to work on Monday morning are already counting the hours till Friday and the week end. I’m here to say that this is the wrong mindset.
If the weekend ended on Monday, Tuesday would be the bad day, so it’s not anything personal about Mondays, but neither should I spend my life wishing for future events. I miss out on a whole lot of living doing that. Besides I’m presuming that I have a tomorrow, and I just might not. I personally get tired of hearing people complain and whine and moan because the week end is over. Well it happens 52 times a year, and that’s a LOT of complaining.
I have determined that I am going to have a different attitude about Mondays. I’m going to greet the day and the beginning of the week with a grateful prayer that I am indeed given this day to honor God. I am going to face the week with curious anticipation, eager to see what He may bring my way, how we will handle the challenges together, and then, hopefully, I will be pleasantly surprised when I wake up and discover that it is indeed Friday.
I know not every week is a good week, and not every Monday is an grand day, but to spend precious hours and minutes wishing time away in my already way too short life just seems a little silly to me. God does not want me to presume on tomorrow, or worry about tomorrow, so why would He want me to worry about a day that is 5 days away? Wishing and hoping and counting will not make it come any faster, and will, in truth, make it seem like it’s taking longer.
Will I succeed in this? Probably not a hundred percent, but if I can improve my attitude on say 30 or 40 weeks out of 52 how much happier one year of life will be. Besides I don’t have to face Mondays alone. He’s walking beside me.
That’s it for today, Monday. Here’s to a better attitude and wonderful week.
TTFN*
Stevie
Copywright © 2010 Stevie Stevens, Fort Worth, TX. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net.
*Ta ta for now
If the weekend ended on Monday, Tuesday would be the bad day, so it’s not anything personal about Mondays, but neither should I spend my life wishing for future events. I miss out on a whole lot of living doing that. Besides I’m presuming that I have a tomorrow, and I just might not. I personally get tired of hearing people complain and whine and moan because the week end is over. Well it happens 52 times a year, and that’s a LOT of complaining.
I have determined that I am going to have a different attitude about Mondays. I’m going to greet the day and the beginning of the week with a grateful prayer that I am indeed given this day to honor God. I am going to face the week with curious anticipation, eager to see what He may bring my way, how we will handle the challenges together, and then, hopefully, I will be pleasantly surprised when I wake up and discover that it is indeed Friday.
I know not every week is a good week, and not every Monday is an grand day, but to spend precious hours and minutes wishing time away in my already way too short life just seems a little silly to me. God does not want me to presume on tomorrow, or worry about tomorrow, so why would He want me to worry about a day that is 5 days away? Wishing and hoping and counting will not make it come any faster, and will, in truth, make it seem like it’s taking longer.
Will I succeed in this? Probably not a hundred percent, but if I can improve my attitude on say 30 or 40 weeks out of 52 how much happier one year of life will be. Besides I don’t have to face Mondays alone. He’s walking beside me.
That’s it for today, Monday. Here’s to a better attitude and wonderful week.
TTFN*
Stevie
Copywright © 2010 Stevie Stevens, Fort Worth, TX. For information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net.
*Ta ta for now
Monday, August 9, 2010
I Threw A Fit
I went to the neighborhood discount store last night about 7:45 p.m. BIG MISTAKE! It was family night at the local store. Some people were there to shop (me) and some people were just meandering along the aisles (everybody else). I should have known I was in trouble when I got one of the last 6 baskets in the basket area. At that point heading for the exit would have been the best course of action, but since I had no food and no toothpaste at home, it was a trip born of necessity.
First off, I hadn’t had a very restful weekend, second it was hot, and third I had been swimming most of the afternoon so I was hot from the sun. I had a few things I really needed and that’s all I was going to get. But people kept wandering into my path. Or they were stopped cold in the aisles as they marked stuff off lists or gazed glassy eyed trying to find something on a list.
Because it is so hot, nothing in the store sounded good to me as far as food goes, so I bought what I usually buy, again. They didn’t have half of what I was looking for and that always hacks me off, anyway. The shelves were empty, but the aisles were full of pallets of things I assume they re-stocked last night, but it did make negotiating their already over stuffed aisles dangerous. Mom, and Dad and their thirteen children didn’t help either. So by now my pressure cooker is simmering. I bought some apple slices and then went to look for bananas. They had ONE. ONE GREEN BANANA. I guess King Kong must have been in town and wiped them out.
I get to the check out stand and the lady at the front is having to put parts of her bill on several cards. That’s always so pleasant. Finally she pays cash, but wait, she has more stuff on the conveyer so she has to pay for that separate. By now, any semblance of patience I had is gone. Plus I am by the self check out and I constantly hear please place item in the bagging area. Thank you for shopping at (insert store name here) please place item in the bagging area.
Finally it’s my turn and I check out. I ask the guy if that animated talking ever drives him crazy and he did admit it got a little annoying. I’d be attacking those speakers with an axe if I had to work beside it. I pay and gather my bags and head for the door.
I get behind a meanderer so I slow down. He looks as if he’s going straight so I turn to try to go around him and suddenly he turns to go out. He turned around and looked at me, so I looked back at him. Followed him through the exit door then I took off right while he went straight. Got to my car and low and behold he was parked right beside me. I was unloading my groceries and his kid is standing there staring at me. I load a couple more bags, more staring, so I finally stopped and stared back. She turned and went behind her dad. Put up my basket and sat there waiting for them to back out, trying to show him that I really was a patient person. Finally they did. By now, my pressure cooker is whistling to beat the band.
Drove home and pulled my bags out of the car and noticed milk on the floor. Great. Get in the house, the bag has milk in the bottom, so I empty what little I still have in my old carton into a pitcher and put the new milk in the old carton. That did it. The lid came off the too small trashcan and slid across the floor. I threw the milk carton in the trash and that sent the dogs to parts unknown and brought my housemate in from her room. The fit lasted long enough for me to get everything out and then I was fine. It was more of a hissy fit, not big enough for a conniption fit, but too small for just a fit. I made her promise that if I ever said I was going to (insert store name here) at 8:00 on a Sunday night she was going out and lay down in front of my car and not let me pass. I think at that point she would have promised anything.
So I’m calmed down, and eating my apple slices I bought yesterday, and happened to notice that they are best if eaten by TODAY. I think that may be the last straw. I will not go to that store again, unless it’s a dire emergency, for at least this week.
Fitfully yours,
Stevie
Copywrite © Stevie Stevens Fort Worth, TX 2010. For Information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net
First off, I hadn’t had a very restful weekend, second it was hot, and third I had been swimming most of the afternoon so I was hot from the sun. I had a few things I really needed and that’s all I was going to get. But people kept wandering into my path. Or they were stopped cold in the aisles as they marked stuff off lists or gazed glassy eyed trying to find something on a list.
Because it is so hot, nothing in the store sounded good to me as far as food goes, so I bought what I usually buy, again. They didn’t have half of what I was looking for and that always hacks me off, anyway. The shelves were empty, but the aisles were full of pallets of things I assume they re-stocked last night, but it did make negotiating their already over stuffed aisles dangerous. Mom, and Dad and their thirteen children didn’t help either. So by now my pressure cooker is simmering. I bought some apple slices and then went to look for bananas. They had ONE. ONE GREEN BANANA. I guess King Kong must have been in town and wiped them out.
I get to the check out stand and the lady at the front is having to put parts of her bill on several cards. That’s always so pleasant. Finally she pays cash, but wait, she has more stuff on the conveyer so she has to pay for that separate. By now, any semblance of patience I had is gone. Plus I am by the self check out and I constantly hear please place item in the bagging area. Thank you for shopping at (insert store name here) please place item in the bagging area.
Finally it’s my turn and I check out. I ask the guy if that animated talking ever drives him crazy and he did admit it got a little annoying. I’d be attacking those speakers with an axe if I had to work beside it. I pay and gather my bags and head for the door.
I get behind a meanderer so I slow down. He looks as if he’s going straight so I turn to try to go around him and suddenly he turns to go out. He turned around and looked at me, so I looked back at him. Followed him through the exit door then I took off right while he went straight. Got to my car and low and behold he was parked right beside me. I was unloading my groceries and his kid is standing there staring at me. I load a couple more bags, more staring, so I finally stopped and stared back. She turned and went behind her dad. Put up my basket and sat there waiting for them to back out, trying to show him that I really was a patient person. Finally they did. By now, my pressure cooker is whistling to beat the band.
Drove home and pulled my bags out of the car and noticed milk on the floor. Great. Get in the house, the bag has milk in the bottom, so I empty what little I still have in my old carton into a pitcher and put the new milk in the old carton. That did it. The lid came off the too small trashcan and slid across the floor. I threw the milk carton in the trash and that sent the dogs to parts unknown and brought my housemate in from her room. The fit lasted long enough for me to get everything out and then I was fine. It was more of a hissy fit, not big enough for a conniption fit, but too small for just a fit. I made her promise that if I ever said I was going to (insert store name here) at 8:00 on a Sunday night she was going out and lay down in front of my car and not let me pass. I think at that point she would have promised anything.
So I’m calmed down, and eating my apple slices I bought yesterday, and happened to notice that they are best if eaten by TODAY. I think that may be the last straw. I will not go to that store again, unless it’s a dire emergency, for at least this week.
Fitfully yours,
Stevie
Copywrite © Stevie Stevens Fort Worth, TX 2010. For Information contact faithleap@sbcglobal.net
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