"Each day is a gift, but how we spend it is up to us"

A thought by Dr. Kevin Leman (2013-02-01) from his book, Way of the Wise, The: Simple Truths forLiving Well (Kindle Location 560). Baker Publishing Group. Kindle Edition.

Wow, is that ever the truth and it takes on more meaning the older I get. I don’t want to waste one minute living it in a negative attitude because I could at a moment’s notice be facing God. Life can be so short. This day is a gift from Him.

There are so many gifts that God gives to us that He doesn’t want us to waste, for instance our health. Health is such a gift. That is something I can abuse and it can be taken away from me. So no sweet stuff and a lot of walking are very important parts of my life.

Another is relationships, they are also a gift from God. My wife, Margaret and I are celebrating Saturday our 39^th anniversary. We have had 36 wonderful years and three really bad ones. Those three were because of what I call my three year jerk time. It is only because of God’s grace and Margaret’s stubbornness that we survived but we have. Each day I have with Margaret is truly a gift from God.

We are also celebrating next week another gift from God. Margaret and I have three beautiful granddaughters who God gave to our son, Brett and his wife, Marissa and to my daughter, Stefanie and her husband, Andrew. Our son and daughter and their mates are also gifts from God. But back to our celebration, next Saturday we are celebrating Harper Olivia Cole’s first birthday. We just celebrated Ashlyn’s 7^th birthday in October and Addison’s 4^th is coming in December. They all are truly a gift and a responsibility and priviledge from God.

None of this I deserve and I never want to take them for granted. What I do with these gifts is my gift to God.

So what do you have planned for today?

Comments

“We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives.”

A thought by Jon Tyson from his book, The Burden Is Light: Liberating Your Life from the Tyranny of Performance and Success (p. 118). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) But is that all that is important? Jon says, “We want to realize an immediate return from whatever we invest in. I am prone to this way of thinking in so many areas of my life. ‘I paid a lot for that meal, yet the portions were not that big.’ ‘I invested two hours in that movie, and it was just okay.’ ‘I went to church, but the sermon wasn’t that profound.’ We believe it’s important to derive value from everything in our lives. But beauty doesn’t fit within that framework. When Mary anointed Jesus with oil, there was an immediate outcry against her extravagant generosity. ‘It could have been sold for more than a year’s wages and the money given to the poor.’ (Mark 14:5) One gospel depicts the disciples crying, ‘Why this waste?...

"Lie 2: The more you worry about it, the better your odds of avoiding it."

A thought by Louie Giglio in his book, Winning the War on Worry (p. 5). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon to buy the book.) Here is another lie that the Enemy uses with us. And Louie says, "This is a tricky lie. Yes, we often have cause for concern and preparation. But the Enemy wants you to believe that if you worry or fret over a certain outcome long enough, you can keep something bad from happening." But this is so important to realize. He says, "The reality is worrying has never once prevented something negative from happening. Planning might. Prayer has. But worry never will." He continues, "The Enemy tells you that by worrying about a situation (or every situation) you can make your tomorrow better. Really, worry just robs you of today. Jesus implored us: '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 than food, and the body mor...

“Hurry and love are incompatible.”

A thought by John Mark Comer from his book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry (p. 23). The Crown Publishing Group. Kindle Edition. (Click on the book title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.) Wow, pretty strong thought isn’t it? John says, “All my worst moments as a father, a husband, and a pastor, even as a human being, are when I’m in a hurry—late for an appointment, behind on my unrealistic to-do list, trying to cram too much into my day. I ooze anger, tension, a critical nagging—the antitheses of love. If you don’t believe me, next time you’re trying to get your type B wife and three young, easily distracted children out of the house and you’re running late (a subject on which I have a wealth of experience), just pay attention to how you relate to them. Does it look and feel like love? Or is it far more in the vein of agitation, anger, a biting comment, a rough glare? Hurry and love are oil and water: they simply do not mix.” He goes on, “Hence, in the apostle P...

Just Continue That Thought...

Search This Blog