Don’t Quit
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road your trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high, Continue reading
Category Archives: Life and Relationships
Don’t You Quit
One is the Loneliest Number
“Hi, I’m at the store and want to buy this plaque really, really bad. I want you to talk me out of it,” I phoned my husband.
“What? Well, what does it say?”
“It is shaped like a dog biscuit and it says, ‘The more people I meet, the more I like my DOG.'”
He laughed. “That’s a good one. Why do you want me to talk you out of it?”
“Because that’s exactly how I feel right now, but don’t think we need the plaque. So talk me out of it. Juts say something like, Honey; we don’t need one more plaque.”
Kindness Matters
Recently, I was with a good-sized group of ladies. As people talked about their heart-wounds it made me realize that extreme pain and anguish are everywhere. One can drive down any street past rows of houses, and believe it- it’s a sure thing that just about every house is inhabited by at least one or two deeply wounded souls. Continue reading
When the Church Lets You Down
“Are you withholding sex from your marriage? A man needs to have sex every 72 hours, and if you are not available that could be one of the reasons why your marriage is having such problems.”
I sat in the chair with my mouth dropped open to this pastor’s counseling words, and left the office more dismayed than when I entered it. I could not believe his preposterous statement. We had been attending the small church for over a year and it had taken me some time to get comfortable enough to go to the pastor for help. The pastor agreed to “counsel us” but after I left his office, I felt very little hope.
I had unwittingly signed up for an abusive marriage; the problems began almost immediately after the wedding. Though there was never any physical abuse, the verbal and emotional blows to me as a person were equally devastating, except unlike physical abuse; the wounding left deep scarring that seldom healed.
My expressions of feelings of despair and heartache were ignored and easily dismissed with.
“Hey, I’m perfectly happy. You’re the one with the problem.” Another time he said. “I don’t know what your problem is, I don’t beat you.” He did emotionally!
Of course he was happy. He was the one doing the lying, cheating, drinking, gambling, manipulating, controlling, criticizing, partying, ignoring, avoiding, abusing and oppressing. Continue reading
Don’t Look Back!
Is there a pillar of salt in your past?
In Genesis Chapters 18 and 19, we read about God’s appearance to Abraham in the form of a man, along with two other men who are actually two angels. They come to declare to Abraham and Sarah that in a year their son Isaac, the promised child, will be born.
Then God shares with Abraham that He is about to set judgment on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. Then the Lord said, “The outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is so great and their sin so grievous” Genesis 18:20
Abraham, concerned for his nephew Lot and Lot’s family who live in Sodom, tries to bargain with God not to destroy the city if there are at least 10 righteous people there.
In God’s eyes, Sodom and Gomorrah’s wickedness is so vile there is no other option to do but destroy it. He cannot even find 10 righteous people in the entire city of Sodom. God is gracious with Lot’s family for Abraham’s sakes.
The two angels are sent to Sodom to rescue Lot, his wife, and two daughters from being destroyed along with the city. Continue reading
Valentine, Don’t Settle. Accept His Love
Here is a little YouTube history of Valentines Day. Enjoy!
If you are single, God knows you feel alone and left out and that Valentines Day is a painful day.
God also wants you to know that He genuinely loves you.
God wants you to be His and for you to accept Him as yours.
God created the original valentine. He gave Himself as a gift of love and redemption so that we could have a restored relationship with Him, and be partakers with Him in Heaven. Continue reading
Attention All Men!
Please watch the video below put out by St. Mark Lutheran Church, De Pere, WI.
What is it Like Being a Dad.
Men, Please!
Rise up to your call as a father.
Accept the gift God has given you.
Every child needs a dad.
Every child needs your leadership.
Every child needs your strengths.
Every child needs your guidance.
Every child needs your genuine love.
I know this because I was one of those children without a dad and never had any type of father image, not because my father died in the war or in a car accident or anything like that, but simply because my father never cared to meet me or know what I looked like. Continue reading
To My Brother Mario
To my dear brother Mario,
I just wanted to let you know that though we didn’t grow up together or have a chance to build brother-sister memories…
and you never made me cry…
or pull my hair…
or fought with me…
or drove me crazy…
or watched me succeed…
or saw me fail and laughed…
or scolded me… Continue reading
Reap From His Strength
We have a very mild winter so far in the northwest. It seems all our snow and frigid weather has moved east. We have hardly had any snow at all in the month of January and that is quite rare. Some of our days this month have been spring-like, with only a bearable chill.
The leader at the Bible study I went to today was talking about some trees she noticed that were beginning to bud.
“Oh, no!” she said. “Don’t do that.” She got to talking about how this was the time the roots needed to grow deeper into the soil.
I got to thinking about how winter is a time for trees, shrubs, and most plants to recuperate from the hard work of bearing and growing fruit in the summer and fall months. Continue reading
Things Haven’t Changed Much in 3000 Years
In Psalm 19: 13-14 David says,
13 Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
14 May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. NIV
Then, 1000 years later here’s what Jesus says about our words.
In Matthew 15: 10-20 Jesus responds to the Pharisees’ comments about his disciples not traditionally washing their hands before they ate.
10 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Continue reading
HIS EYE IS ON THIS SPARROW TOO Still Learning to Lean on God 