Good and Evil

I am about two chapters short of finishing The Shack. If you are breathing, I recommend this book to you. Although this book is fiction, the author relates God in such an amazingly loving, kind, accepting, real persona, who could resist a relationship with Him. The Shack is a metaphor for the place we hide our pain or shame. The short explanation of the book is one man’s journey to God through the suffering of the loss of a child.

I learned and relearned so much from this book I could go on and on…and probably will in another blog, but for now it was how WE judge what is good and evil. When you really think about it, we can and do, judge the same thing good at one point or time in our lives and bad at another. Even people in our lives, we judge as being good for us at one time, then later somehow not so much.

How can the loss of a child ever be seen as good? How can mass devastation ever be seen as good? I don’t believe it can, but I do believe that God brings good things out of bad situations. So many people blame God for the bad things that happen…sometimes even people that never even acknowledged God before, but now He is to blame. We have become good at judging…how sad.

I’m sharing because I found the book to bring out so much thought for me that I can’t get enough. I love to learn, I love to learn about God and my relationship with Him. I feel so blessed and I know my blessings come from God.

May God bless you and yours!

Kurt Warner

Kurt Warner sums up two of my favorite things… a good Christian man and sports! Actually its church and sports…but those of you that are Christians know that WE are the church…not the four walls that surround us on Sunday mornings.

I could not be happier to see Kurt get another chance at a Super Bowl win and hopefully clinch a place in the Football Hall of Fame. He is a perfect example of a good leader…on and especially off the field. I am so grateful he chooses to honor the gifts and platform God has given him. He is an inspiration to me, as I’m sure he is to people everywhere!

God gave him is athletic ability and drive which has given him a platform that he continually chooses to use for good. He continually chooses to give God all the glory and bless others with his blessings. His is truly just a good guy…doing good things!

Other than the fact we had the occasional hello because we attended the same church when he lived in St. Louis, I do not know him personally, but he touches my life by doing good for people I don’t know either.

Go Cards! That rolls off my tongue quite regularly April through October (I think positively, yes it will be October!) because I love the St. Louis Baseball Cardinals, but right now it’s all for the Football Cardinals.

Choose to be a blessing to someone today and everyday!

Walk in Love

Happy New Year! I have never really been into resolutions, but I one of my goals for 2009 (actually a continuation from 2008 and will be for all my days) is to walk in love at all times. Obviously it goes without saying that it is not easy. And I’m sure some of you are thinking…WHAT! And others are thinking…don’t you do that anyway. Good for you for those of you in that group…what a blessing.

Now, I’m a loving, compassionate person, but if you consciously make the choice to walk in love…be ready to be tested. These are not necessarily big tests because a simple disagreement can lead to bad behavior. My prayer is to always honor the person or place I’m interacting with. Can you imagine what the world would be like if we all choose that. I may not be able to change the whole world, but the one thing I can change is me. I plan to have more peace in my life.

I pray you too choose to make a change that will bring you peace.

May your 2009 be filled with love, peace and joy!

Lesson Learned

Do you view the challenges and so called tests that appear on your journey in life as yet another “problem” or do you look at them as lessons learned?

In recent years as I have changed my view to the latter. It’s made a huge difference in my life…it helps to keep me at peace with life. I don’t get upset when things don’t “look” the way I think they should. I don’t spend time in worry or feeling defeated. I look for the lesson and see where I can grow personally and spiritually.

This has been a process and it’s not always easy, but it’s worth the effort. I like who I’ve become and I love learning so I now study my lessons. I have found that when I look inside, for an answer to a challenge instead of looking at someone or something else to hold responsible, I feel better about the whole situation and resolving it.

Next time you feel tested take a look inside, instead of looking those around you, and see if there is a lesson to be learned.

Peace be with you!

Be open to see where you can give.

Good day! I pray your day is a blessed one. Life is good for me…but then it always is. My oldest daughter was married last weekend to a wonderful young man. It was a beautiful day and ceremony. I couldn’t be happier for them or more proud. They are both incredibly talented and responsible young people.

Today as I was flipping channels as I was watching some of my favorite sports teams I came across a news story that brought tears to me eyes. Tears of joy…I love to witness the goodness that people share. The story was about an act of kindness from the owner of an AutoTire Service location and his employees that freely volunteered their time. They purchased the supplies and built a wheel chair access ramp to the home of a wheel chair bound young man and his family.

There is always an opportunity to make a difference for someone…we just need to open to see them. May you be open to see where you can give