Perspectives

While growing up in a poor family, I developed a mindset that happiness was connected with a nice home, a pleasant home environment, being like everyone else; or in a nutshell, being different than the way I was.

Consequently, I spent much of my adult life measuring myself by others and by what they looked like, what they had, or what they did. My house needed to be as clean as everyone else's seemed to be, for surely I was the only one who didn't keep my house spotless and shiny all the time. I wasn't comfortable having guests in my home for this reason.

One day while living in a nice home that we had remodeled, I realized that I wasn't any happier there than I'd been while living in other run-down houses!
That realization started the removal of ideas that happiness consisted of having nice things, plenty of money and no problems. This new perspective has helped me learn to be content and happy in cricumstances less than ideal!

Thoughts on being 60

I guess people set landmarks for different things. When our oldest son had his 10th birthday, I felt like that was a landmark-he was already half grown up (grown up being 20 to my thinking at that time!) For me to be 40 or 50 years old didn't seem any big deal , but 60 has been a landmark year for me.

I'm still learning new things, sometimes things I should have learned long ago, such as how to be efficient in the kitchen. Just as it is suggested to only handle something once, such as mail, the same can be applied to dirty dishes. As soon as a pan or utensil is no longer in use, but has been gotten dirty, wash it and put it away!
My friend Mardie practiced that years ago, but it seemed like a waste of time to me then!

Wrinkles are happening! My body looks older, but I don't feel any older inside.

I qualify for more senior citizen discounts. Oh my!

The best advice: follow your own advice!

Let Not Your Heart be Troubled

Jesus tells us emphatically in John 14:1 "let not your heart be troubled." When we started heeding this admonition, it was amazing how many things would arise in the day that giving occasion for distress such as --the gas gauge is almost on empty, will I make it to the gas station; the checkbook balance is low, will I overspend at the grocery store?

Jesus went beyond telling us to control our hearts and our thoughts, giving us the reason: "you trust in God, trust also in Me." It is because we trust Him that our hearts can be at peace, for in every situation of turmoil or possible distress, He provides the help we need.

As we have stopped letting our hearts be troubled, life has been much more restful and peaceful. It is wonderful to have come through troublesome situations without stress and worry!

What? No More Leeks?

My husband has been sharing with me thoughts he's had about how to grow in grace and faith, and how to be conscious of the Lord's presence in the nitty gritty of life. One is that the when the Israelites were coming out of Egypt, they kept thinking about and talking about what they left behind and how rough it was in the wilderness, rather than thinking about the miraculous deliverance they had received from the Lord. They should have been remembering His amazing provisions and His promise to bring them into the land. How different their experience would have been if, when encountering difficulties, they had said, "Our great God brought us out of Egypt and delivered us at the Red Sea, surely He will help us now! Let us go to Him." Instead they murmured and complained, thinking about the leeks and onions that they missed from Egypt, instead of the fact that they were no longer slaves! Yet how often that has been my attitude as well, choosing to think about all the negative and fearful thoughts that pop into my mind, rather than thinking about all that God has done for me in the past and seeking His current help.

We are learning in this part of our journey, to trust Him and to look to Him whenever a time of trial arises. It becomes a time of joy and peace as I continually remember His greatness and thank Him for His past help, rather than think about the difficulties we now face.

A Beginning

"All glory be to Thee Most High,
To Thee all adoration."

Thus begins the words of one of our favorite hymns.

More and more my desire is that my life would bring glory to the Lord.