life

Filled With Excitement For The Unknown…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The fields are blanketed with snow this morning, and all is well at the farm after the threat of the “most dangerous snowstorm in decades”. No harm here…no drama, no lost electricity, no worries whatsoever. I’m not one to ponder all the “what ifs” in this Journey of Life, but I’m definitely one to Praise my God when I consider what could have been. With a God who beautifies the fields with one snowstorm and then illuminates the sky with the colors I saw this morning, why in the world would I ever worry about tomorrow? After taking in the beauty, I met with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith, and I waited with anticipation for Him to speak to my Heart on this new day of a new week, even though I’m snowed in for now. I’m still grateful for another day of Life and I can’t wait to get on with it to see what the Lord has for me today and every day. It’s a beautiful thing to live with Great Anticipation for what God has in store, and it’s that anticipation that creates a sense of excitement for each new day. No matter what’s on the horizon for this snowed-in new day, it all begins with a Heart that’s been Prepared for the Journey and a Belief that I exist solely for His Purpose. When you have a Life you KNOW has been touched by the Master’s Hand, anticipation is a natural part of the Journey. Isn’t that the way you see each new day, too?

It can be so easy to get excited as we anticipate events that take place in everyday life…that’s just one of the pleasures of living. We get excited about love. We get excited about a new baby. We get excited about the holidays. We get excited about a new job or an upcoming vacation. We get excited to spend time with our loved ones. There’s no end to the things that excite us in the Journey called Life and no way of measuring our anticipation for each one as the time draws near. Anticipation for those good things on the horizon can swing the mood of a new day from ordinary to EXTRAORDINARY faster than you can say “amen,” and that’s a beautiful feeling. It’s one thing to be excited and filled with anticipation for things you’re SURE will take place soon…it’s an entirely different story to be filled with Excitement and Anticipation for a new day filled with the Unknown. It’s only when we wrap our Hearts around the Truth and we accept our Unique Purpose in this Life that we are filled with anticipation about what the new day will bring according to His Plans…and we’re excited about how we’ll be called upon to Serve. This is the Key to Joy in the Journey.

I’m filled with anticipation about any new day, and how my Amazing God might call upon me to Serve, that’s for sure. But what excites me more than anything else…the ONE THING I anticipate more than everything else is the Day the King comes Calling for me. He’s already told me in Black & White what I can expect my Future to be like, and I know it’s only a matter of time before I’ll be there with Him forever. He’s already told me in Black & White how I am to spend my Time…and how I’m supposed to Live and Love…and how I’m supposed to Share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with everybody I can so that they can anticipate their Future too. It troubles my soul, but I can see why so few people of Faith share the Gospel with the dark world. After all, if THEY aren’t excited…if they aren’t filled with Great Anticipation, then why would they bother to share with anybody else? This new day excites me, but the New Day overwhelms me with Joy, and I anticipate the Time when I will be with the One who died for me more than anything else on the planet. This is the Key to the Excitement it takes to accept (and to do your part to fulfill) the Great Commission.

I have no idea what this new day will bring, but I know I’ve been Readied for the Journey. I won’t overlook a broken soul or someone walking around in the dark, whether the fields are covered with snow or not! I won’t miss an opportunity to do “for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine” because I know what I do for them, I’m doing for Him. I’ll be sure to Reconcile any wrongs in my Life so that I can be forgiven AND so that I can be a better Testimony of His Grace. Just another day? Not on your life! When you’re a child of the Living God…an Heir to Jesus Christ…Royalty….a Life breathed into existence at the precise moment in time for His Purpose…a Vessel to be used to Complete His Plans…how can I NOT be filled with anticipation for every new day?

How about you?

I KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW

I don’t know about tomorrow,
I just live from day to day.
I don’t borrow from its sunshine,
For its skies may turn to gray.
I don’t worry o’er the future,
For I know what Jesus said,
And today I’ll walk beside Him,
For He knows what is ahead.

Refrain:
Many things about tomorrow,
I don’t seem to understand;
But I know who holds tomorrow,
And I know who holds my hand.

What Are YOU Doing to Prepare?

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. By this time of year, I’m already longing to spend time with the Living God OUTSIDE on the front porch, but the beauty of the snow definitely helps lift my spirits while I wait for Spring. As I sat in the Presence of the Author and Perfecter of my Faith this morning and thanked Him for all things, I considered the snow and how that one simple act of nature can sometimes turn the world upside down. Just one little snowflake can inspire people to take action and prepare for the very worst, doing their part to ensure they stay safe and warm. Many people consider a good snowstorm the event of the year, and they prepare accordingly – all the while, the Biggest Event since the Creation of the world will take place One Day soon, and preparing for that Event never seems to enter their mind. Even though The End is coming beyond a shadow of a doubt…and the Projections are fierce…people put more time and energy into preparing for the snow than they ever do for the Return of Jesus Christ. Isn’t that the way you see it, too?

One scary news report about a “possible” snowstorm will empty out the shelves in the grocery stores within a matter of hours as people scurry through like termites. They panic over the idea that they might run out of food, and they buy as if it will be their last meal. They’re afraid of being stranded…they fear they’ll be without electricity…they cut wood and fill up bathtubs as if the end of civilization as we know it is near. Most of the time, even a heavy snowstorm only holds us up for a day or two, and yet plenty of people prepare as if they’ll be facing the Apocalypse instead of a dusting of snow. I wonder how it’s even possible that the threat of one little snowstorm can inspire the masses to prepare for the worst, while they seem to have no interest in Preparing for the End of all Time. “As in the days of Noah”…

The King is coming back as surely as I breathe, and absolutely nothing will stop Him. The Creator of the World set the Plan in motion a long time ago, and our Warning to Prepare has been issued for centuries. There may still be time to grab a few groceries even after the snow begins, but once the King comes back… there’ll be no turning back and no amount of begging will change the course or alter what is already Written. Being prepared for the Event of all Time is the most significant Preparation ANY of us can do…and IF we’re Prepared…we’ll go to the Place where there is no need to ever plan for any kind of catastrophe again! NO MORE PAIN OR SADNESS OR SICKNESS OR TEARS EVER AGAIN! Now THAT is something worth Preparing for!

I lean toward the practical side over things like snowstorms, and I don’t panic over the possibilities because the God who brings the snow is my Provider and Protector too! When the snow falls, I know that there will be enough food in the house for a few days, no matter how empty my cabinets appear to be. I know that I’ll be warm, and if the electricity should go out, we’ll have a fire to keep us warm. Sometimes I drive people crazy with my “carefree” approach to the disasters the world warns us about because they think I don’t take these things as seriously as I should. But when it comes to the Major Event for all mankind, I’M NOT CAREFREE AT ALL. It’s NOT ENOUGH FOR ME THAT I’M PREPARED…I want to be sure to help as many people as I possibly can be Prepared too! It’s not okay that I have all that I need to Spend Eternity in a Place so beautiful that my mind can’t begin to visualize it…I want to fill that Place up with as many people as I can WHILE I can. My Journey is Sealed, and I can’t lose my One Way Ticket, but there’s still plenty of Preparation I need to do…every day…until the End. Preparation of my own Heart to be sure that it’s Readied and Preparation to help others along is my Mission in this Journey of Faith. The outcome for the ones who don’t prepare for THAT “storm” will make every natural disaster they’ve ever worried about look like child’s play…and it will LAST FOREVER! So, I stay Busy every day making sure that I’m as Prepared as I can be, and I reach out to the world in hopes that I can help them Prepare too.

There’s just a little dusting of snow at the farm, and whether there is more coming or not, I sure won’t be panicking over something so simple when there’s a Major Event coming that needs my Time and Attention. It’s a nice thing to help someone through something like a snowstorm…it’s Life-Changing to help them Prepare for the Major Event of all Time…the Return of the King of all kings!

Amen?

The Journey Through Grateful Eyes…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The air may be cold, but the sunrise this morning has the potential to add warmth to ANY Soul…IF they look for it, that is. A cup of hot coffee…a little one-on-one time with the Author and Perfecter of my Faith, and I’m good to face the Spiritual Battle all over again. I was born for such a time as this, and I’m Unstoppable! I choose to look at my Life with a pair of Grateful eyes, and I never grow tired of watching the dawn of a New Day. Isn’t that the way it should be with life?

I could watch the sun rise a million times, and each one would be uniquely different than any one before or any one after. No sunrise is ever the same. The sun may rise from the same direction over this farm every morning, but this moment in time will never come my way again, so I choose to savor each sunrise all the days of my Life. Each one is a precious gift and a miracle to marvel at, and I’ll never grow tired of watching the dawn of any new day because it’s how I Perceive the New Day that will Determine how I Live it out.

I could watch a smile cross the face of my child or grandchild a million times, and each one is uniquely beautiful to me. A smile from the same face, but for different reasons than all of the other smiles before or all of the smiles after. I could never grow tired of watching their smiles or the way their eyes join in on the joy of the moment. That moment in time, that reason to smile will never come my way again, and I’ll savor each one all of the days of my life because of it.

I could hear belly laughing echoing off the walls of this old farmhouse a million times, but I’ll never grow tired of that sweet sound. The kind of laughter that is contagious to another and the kind of laughter that can soften the sting of Life in an instant. Each laugh comes for a unique reason…a moment in time that will never pass my way again, so I choose to savor each one all of the days of my life.

I’m looking at my Life with a pair of grateful eyes this morning, and I refuse to take any Gift for granted. One Day I’ll witness my last sunrise of this Journey called Life and that could be a very sad thought IF I didn’t Know what’s in store for me after my last earthly sunrise. On that Day, I’ll step away from the earthly sunrise, and I’ll immediately step into the Presence of the Most High GOD. I’m no expert (yet), but I’ve got a feeling that when I stand in the presence of the Glory of the Lord, He will made alll sunrises look like muted sparks. Hallelujah.

How about you?

365 Tiny Little Pieces…Happy New Day!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s cold in Virginia this morning. We had a dusting of snow overnight, and we have a wind chill factor of 11° this morning. You can hear the flags blowing from inside the farmhouse, and although it’s probably wise to take them down when the wind is blowing like this, I love to them fly all year long. After all, sometimes beauty must override practicality. It’s a new day of a New Year, and there’s no place I’d rather be than in the presence of a Mighty God as I Surrender my Life and everything in it to Him all over again. I don’t put a whole lot of emphasis on the “New Year” because I’m busy beginning something “new” in each and every new day. Though this will be a quiet semi “day off” for me, there’s no such thing as taking a “day off” when it comes to spending time with the One who gives us Life, Hope, and a Future…and He’s worthy of Celebrating EVERY DAY of every New Year. I sure never want Him to take a “day off” from me and my Life, so why would I set Him aside to take a “day off” from Him either? I’m so grateful that I don’t serve a fair-weather God, and I don’t want to be an on-again off-again Servant. Isn’t that the way you look at the Journey of Faith, too?

I’m sure it’s easy for people to think that I’m an uptight Christian because of my diligence and my never-ending talk about Jesus Christ (even on a good “day off”), but there’s nothing uptight about me at all. I’m consumed with Love for the Living God, and when you’re consumed with love, it’s not easy to think about or to talk about anything else. He makes me smile. He makes my Heart overflow with Love and Compassion. He’s Strong when I’m weak, and I know that He will never leave me or forsake me. I love Him so much that sometimes I want to sing and dance! He takes care of ALL my needs, and I know that I don’t have to worry about anything at all. He makes me feel safe and protected and loved. He is the purest definition of Peace, and Peace is what you see when you look at me and my Life. I’m focused on pleasing Him because I LOVE Him and not because I live in fear of Him or because I’m uptight about what I’m supposed to be doing…even on a good “day off”. When it comes to a love that is SO beautiful that it consumes me, does it make sense at all that I’d want to take a “day off”? I’m not uptight…I’m Happy, and I’m at Peace, and I’m filled with Joy, and IT SHOWS…365 days a year…even on those good “days off”. That’s what it looks like to have a Relationship with the King!

The old saying, “Don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today,” is a good reminder (and motivator) for us all. Obviously, it’s a reminder NOT to procrastinate, which we’re probably all guilty of doing at one point or another. BUT there’s no procrastination of any personal goal on the planet that comes at a higher cost than procrastinating over things God wants to do in your life. Putting God off – or putting off a commitment to Surrender to Him – can come with eternal consequences that make procrastinating over silly things like losing weight or saving more money “next year” look like Romper Room. If I had one “resolution” to recommend to the world, it would be that each one would Resolve to Love Him more…to Serve Him with Passion…and to NEVER shut up about Jesus Christ and what He’s done for you, even for one hour of any new day of this New Year.

No doubt I’m excited about a new year just like everybody else, but every single day is a New Beginning for me. Every day is a Fresh Start. Every day has Endless possibilities. Every day is filled with Hope and Plans and Purpose. Every day has Unlimited Potential. Every day has Success just waiting for me. Every day I have unlimited Strength. The sky is the limit when it comes to the Blessings that I have today AND that I’ll have Tomorrow. Every single day is filled with Love, Joy, Peace, and Contentment. With that in mind, why would I clump everything together into one big celebration when I can break this year down into 365 pieces and Celebrate every single day, like the Blessing it really is? “This is a day that the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it”…365 times this year. You wonder how I can remain so EXCITED about my God and my Journey? That’s how!

Uptight? Nah…just I’m just Consumed with Love and I’ll never want a “day off” from that!

How about you?

Farewell To a Beautifully Imperfect Year…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I met with the Living God before the sun lit up the sky this morning, and it’s the last day that I’ll be meeting with Him this year. I sat there in silence for the longest time, and I thought back on the year and all that I have to be thankful for, and I see how much living has been packed into this one single year. Another year passed by quickly for me, but it sure isn’t closing out as “just another year.” It’s been rough, and it’s been rich, and it’s been everything in between, and through it all God has led me “by the right hand” just as He promises to do. When I look at it that way, how could I NOT celebrate everything about the chapter I close each and every day? Isn’t that the way you look at the New Year, too?

We’ve had the blessing of welcoming a new baby into our family this year, and I’ve wept over the loss of a few friends. I’ve celebrated the marriage of one of my friends, and I’ve mourned the end of another. I’ve met a few new friends along the way, and I’ve walked away from a few who desired to pull me down to the pit with along with them. I’ve used Words to encourage my world every single chance I’ve been given, and I’ve used Words to speak painful Truths as God leads. I’ve shared my Faith in every corner of my life, every chance I’ve been given, and I’ve felt the pain of judgment a few times because of it. I worked hard to fulfill a few Plans that God had for me, and I’ve endured the ridicule that comes with it sometimes – not over my Heart for Jesus Christ but all because I’m a woman.

I worked hard to maintain Peace in my life, and I’ve had a few moments of painful controversy. I asked for forgiveness as I became aware of my wrongs against another, and I forgave others for wronging me…even when it wasn’t easy. I’ve had the honor of being asked to pray for another, and I’ve prayed for plenty of others that probably wish I wouldn’t. I’ve had days filled with overwhelming joy and a few consumed by overwhelming sadness, and through it ALL, He took me “by the right hand,” and He led me through it all. I’ll ALWAYS be Victorious because of Him and His Divine Leadership over my Life…and THAT’S the reason I celebrate every single second of this year that will soon be behind me. He’s the “Author and Perfecter” of my Faith, and He’ll always use the good, the bad, and the ugly to Strengthen me for the Journey…IF I let Him take me “by the right hand” and lead me, that is.

I’m filled with excitement about what the Lord has for me EVERY DAY in this coming year, and I’ll be doing my part to be sure that I’m ready, willing AND found worthy to do the work of the King. There’s no doubt that I’ll experience pain and loss and a little heartbreak this year, but I’m not worried about any of that stuff because He will take me “by the right hand” and He’ll see me through no matter what. I’m celebrating Victory before I even witness it, and I’m ONLY thinking Good about my future. I’m facing an exciting New Year, and although it won’t be any more perfect than any of the others before it, I’ll be ready for whatever comes my way…because of Him. I won’t be worried about my future because He says, ” Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Instead, I’ll be waking up each new day with anticipation for what He has for me on THAT day…AND I’ll be willing to do His work with gladness through it all.

So long to this imperfect year for this imperfect woman. It was more beautiful than I could ever have imagined. It was rich, and it was rough, but I walked with the Living God every step of the way, and He led me “by the right hand” through it all…AND THAT’S how I can find Joy and Peace and Contentment no matter what’s going on in the world.

How about you?

Forgiven Little, Loves Little?

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia. After I stepped out onto the front porch to embrace this new day of a new week and to fill my lungs with fresh air, I met with the Living God from inside looking out, and I read my Instruction Manual long after the sun showed itself in the sky. It’s that time of year of uncertainty in Virginia. One day it’s warm enough to spend the day outside, one day the cold can be endured with warm clothes or a blanket, and one day it’s SO cold that no winter wardrobe has what it takes to break the sting. I’m not one to give up or complain when the weather gets in the way of my morning “routine” on the front porch, and I don’t give up when other things alter what my Heart desires either. Instead, I embrace it all, I give thanks for it all, I press on through it all, and I look for the Treasures in the good and the “bad” throughout this amazing Journey of Life. Isn’t that what you do too?

Being able to enjoy the sunrise outside on my old porch is truly one of my life’s greatest Pleasures. Some people think my “obsession” with mornings on the front porch comes with old age… but they’d be wrong. Watching the Master wake up the world from a front row seat has been one of my favorite things to do ever since I Met Him, and it always will be until He takes me Home. I Praise Him when it’s raining, and I Praise Him when it’s cold, and I Praise Him for everything in between. This time of year, I cling to the warmth for as long as I can, and I won’t much like it when the season changes and temperatures drop for the long run. But IF I have a Heart of Gratitude, I take it all in stride. I look for the Beauty through every season… just as I do in this Journey called Life. Comparing the joy of the sunrise to significant trials in Life may seem lame on the surface to some people. Still, it takes the SAME KIND OF HEART to embrace the ups and the downs in the Journey as it does to appreciate the beauty in an “imperfect” day. I am Confident that the Most High God…the God who “gives and takes away,” the God who “scattered the stars in the sky and knows them each by name,” the God who flooded the earth because He was sick of the wickedness, knows what He’s doing in ALL things, and I choose to Trust Him. Trusting Him is the Key to Peace.

If I had my way, I’d probably design each day to be clear, sunny, and 70 degrees, AND I’d destroy all the beauty that comes through each Season in the process. I’d wreak havoc on nature, and I’d thwart the growth. I’d never see the magnificent colors of the Fall, and I’d never watch the new things unfold in the Spring. I’d never see the fields blanketed with pure white snow, and I’d never see the birds scrambling for worms after a rain. There’s no end to the “damage” I would do IF I had my own way with the weather at the farm….and so it is with Life. Taking it in stride, pressing on no matter how dire the circumstances appear, and seeing the Beauty in the Will of a God we cannot see with our own eyes, is the KEY to Spiritual Contentment and Joy. That’s what Spiritual Maturity looks like!

I’m an imperfect woman living an imperfect life, but I serve the Perfect One, and I love Him with all of my Heart. He’s taken me to the valley more times than I care to count, but when I’ve chosen to Trust Him with the outcome and I stepped out of His way, He’s taken me back to the mountaintop, and I’ve soared like never before, all because of the Beauty that’s Perfected in the Valley by the Hand of the Author and Perfector of Faith.

The Bible says, “But he who has been forgiven little, loves little,” a Spiritual Truth that should be pondered by all. When you see someone who holds onto unforgiveness, you’ll see someone with a VERY limited capacity to Love. That makes perfect sense. After all, it takes selfless Love to Forgive…just ask Jesus. As for me, I don’t just love a little, appreciate a little, live a little, preach a little, give a little, or serve a little, NOT because I’m some sort of Saint! It’s ALL because I never lose sight of what my Mighty God has forgiven me of and how He Supernaturally transformed a “wretch like me” into a usable Vessel in His Name. Now THAT’S miraculous and worthy of holding onto all the days of my Life.

He truly does have “the whole world in His hands,” so I’ll Trust Him every step of the way. Rain or shine. Warm or cold. Ups and downs. Good or “bad”.

How about you?

There’s No Mistaking Who I Stand For!

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. The cold morning air is forcing me to spend most of my time with the Living God inside these days, but I never lose a chance to take in the glory of the morning, even for just a little while, from the front porch. For years, this porch was graced with hanging plants, but when I grew tired of being held hostage by birds nesting in them, I replaced them with flags. So, now, this old porch is graced with four flags, each representing something I stand for. As I sat before God this morning and looked at those flags, I considered what I stand for and wondered if what I Stand for is as easy for the world to see as those flags are. It doesn’t matter much if people look at these four flags and they don’t “get” what they represent to me…but it matters a WHOLE lot if people look at my Life and they don’t see what I stand for or Who I Represent. Isn’t that something that you consider, too?

It’s so easy for us to look at the outer edges of a person and draw our own conclusions about what they stand for just by what we see on the outside. Sometimes people attempt to put the world on notice about what they stand for by placing bumper stickers on their cars or by wearing a cross around their neck. Sometimes those things are intended to be gentle (and silent) reminders, and sometimes those things are intended to provoke. Just like the flags hanging on this front porch, if people don’t “get” what they represent, they merely serve as decoration. Sometimes people attempt to make their mark on the world by tattooing their bodies or piercing their skin in unimaginable ways. But just like the flags hanging on the front porch, if people don’t “get” what they represent, they merely serve as body art. There is no end to what can be done in our attempt to put the world on notice about what we represent, but what we stand for takes a whole lot more than flying a flag over our lives. What we stand for takes Action words and Relationships to be seen by the world.

I have a crazy sense of humor (thanks to my Dad) and I’ve had a roller coaster life for sure, so IF I never spoke up about what I Stand for, the world may see me as just someone fun to be around and someone with lots of good stories to tell. But nobody has to be in my presence for long before they see AND hear about what I Stand for and Who I Represent. Some may perceive me as being ONLY interested in fun things and funny things because of my personality, but they’d be wrong about that! With just one opportunity to change my Tune to comfort a suffering soul, or to speak Words of Wisdom from God, and what I Stand for and Who I Represent is front and center. Some could believe that I can find humor in anything…and there’s a lot of truth to that…and they might hesitate to share their pain with me for fear of my laughing at them. BUT with just a few words about my Life Journey and all of the pain I’ve endured in His Name, they open up like a blooming flower with no fear of judgment from me. I don’t rely on bumper stickers on my car or a cross around my neck to make a Statement to the world about what I Stand for; I live it, I breathe it, and I speak it. What I Stand for is a part of me, and taking Action with Words and Relationships is as natural to me as breathing.

Waving my Faith around for all the world to see has come at a high price, but that’s okay. The One I Stand for warned me that they “will hate you because of Me”. Make no mistake, they don’t hate the silence; they hate hearing the Name of Jesus Christ boldly Proclaimed as I wave my Faith around for all the world to see. He died for me, the least I can do is Live for Him, amen?

I like to think of myself as being a little like those flags on the front porch. Bright and colorful, resilient, able to withstand the winds, flexible, bold, and forever making a Statement for the world to see. You’ll NEVER find me being a SILENT Representation of what I Stand for or Who I Represent, and you won’t find me relying on some outward “sign” to make a Statement on my behalf. I’m a child of the Living God…I’m Royalty…I’m Unstoppable…I’m Victorious…I’m Redeemed…and there is never a doubt about what I Stand for or Who I Represent.

I Love Him…I Live for Him…I Serve Him…and it shows.

How about you?

Be Like The Oak Tree…

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Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. I woke up the way I always do…filled with Gratitude for another day to Serve the Author and Perfector of my Faith. Living is one thing…living with Purpose is an entirely different story altogether, so I have Purpose in mind this morning. The Fall season has officially set in, and every day looks different from the one before, as nature heads toward winter. As I sat there looking at the sun illuminating the color of this old oak tree, the tree reminded me of my Life. The old oak may be a few hundred years older than I am, but we have a lot in common. We’re both standing tall and strong after many years of being upright, and we both have very deep roots. We’re both changing as the season comes to an end, and neither one of us knows precisely when we’ll succumb. We’ve both been through the storms and lived to “tell about it,” and neither of us gave in under pressure. We’re both pretty colorful when the Time is right, and we both have grown where we were planted by the hand of God. We’ve both endured, no matter how hard the wind blew year after year. We’ve both shed some branches when it was time to let them go, and we’ve both gotten stronger because of it. We both show some wear and tear from the journey, but we just keep getting more beautiful over time. I’m pretty sure the old oak won’t cry when I lose my journey on this earth, but I’m sure I’ll cry for the old oak if it surrenders its life before I do. This beautiful old tree made me think about Life and how each one of our days is different than the last as we head toward the “winter” too. Yesterday becomes a memory, and tomorrow becomes a dream. Today is all we really have to work with and our greatest opportunity to Live, to Serve, to Share, and to Love. Isn’t that the way you look at the new day, too?

We could all learn from the old oak tree that focuses on nothing more than digging deeper roots and reaching for the Son day after day. Unfortunately, it seems to be so easy for people to live in the past or in the future while they squander away TODAY. Some are “stuck” in the past, while others are so focused on the future that they forget about the blessings of NOW. When you think about it, today really IS like “the first day of the rest of your life,” and today is all we have any control over whatsoever. We can’t change what we did or didn’t do yesterday, and since tomorrow is promised to no one, all the things we dream of for tomorrow should be focused on today. If there is any Unfinished Business, like asking for forgiveness or making our peace, leftover from yesterday, today is the day to make it right. If there is an unspoken “I love you” or a word of encouragement that could change the course of another, today is the day to speak it. If there is anyone in our world who has never heard the Good News of Jesus Christ, today is the day to Share it. If there is anything within us that holds us back from all the things the Living God has for us, today is the day to move forward in His Name. There’s no end to the things that should be reconciled on a new day, and there is seemingly no end to the putting off. Yesterday is only a memory now, and tomorrow is only a dream. Living TODAY is the Key to an Abundant Life in all the ways that matter.

Some people have a “near-death” experience that puts things in perspective for them…at least for a little while. But every day is a near-death day for all of us because tomorrow is promised to no one, AND YET, we have so little regard for the frailty of life that we’ll put off the important things as if we have all the time in the world. When you look at it that way, how can any of us dare to squander even one day? There is a past that needs to stay in the past and a future to dream about. The Bible says “Without a vision the people perish” and that “hope deferred makes the heart sick”, so, looking forward with longing is a good thing for the Heart and Soul. It’s when we linger in thoughts of tomorrow while squandering away today that we stand the chance of NOT living long enough to see what the Heart has been longing for all along. Yesterday is a memory, and tomorrow is only a dream. Living TODAY is the Key to living Life to the fullest in all the ways that matter.

I’ve been on top of the mountain and deep in the valley and every place in between…but my past is now in the past where it belongs. The only piece of the past that has any Value for today is the Wisdom I gained in the Process. The “bad” has been Forgiven, and the Trials have become my Testimony, which is Shared with the world today with Purpose. I have Dreams for my future, and I take steps to fulfill them every day, BUT my future isn’t here yet, so I Focus on Today just like the old oak tree does. Today will be the most spectacular day in the history of me, and I’ll continue to be like the old oak tree – standing tall and with roots that grow deeper every day.

This day will be filled with Gratitude and countless surprises straight from the Throne of a Mighty God. The past has become but a memory, and the future is only a dream, but I have TODAY to do Good in His Name, and I can’t imagine a better way to spend any day Allotted to me.

How about you?

Savor or Squander? It’s a Choice.

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s not possible to see a mediocre sunrise or sunset, ESPECIALLY in the Fall of the year in Virginia, and I’m savoring each one as if it’s the last one I’ll ever see. I don’t have a morbid obsession with death, nor am I counting down the days I have left, but I am acutely aware of the frailty of life, and I refuse to waste any of it at all. I’ve always been one to savor life, and I’ve never been one to lose precious moments that other people might dismiss. If only I had a dollar for every time someone commented on my time on the front porch and how “boring” it must be. But that’s because they look for entertainment, and all I seek is God. Watching the Master wake up the world is the very best kind of Entertainment there is, but because I Savor Life and I Worship the King of the mornings. The older I get, and the closer I draw to the Living God, the more beautiful Life around me becomes, and the more I want to savor ALL of it with ALL of me. Isn’t that the way it is for you, too?

It can be so easy to take Life for granted if we aren’t careful. We fail to look up (or to get up) to capture a sunrise and, more often than not, something on television replaces the sunset. We roll out of bed and scurry off to begin the new day, and most of the time we don’t think twice about being physically able to do so. We throw the kids in the backseat and rush off to wherever it is we need to be, and most of the time, a TV monitor in the back seat or a cell phone conversation in the front seat replaces those sweet little voices that can only be heard when we listen out for them. Family mealtime has become a thing of the past. Instead of sharing a meal together at the same table at the same time, one is texting, one is watching television, and the opportunity to hear about what’s going on in the life of the other is lost forever.

I don’t want to wake up one day and wonder what happened with my life, and I don’t want to squander my time. I don’t want to trade good conversations and belly laughs for television, and I don’t want to miss out on all of those precious little moments that come when you anticipate them. I anticipate great things because I Serve a Great God, and I Treasure the beauty because it’s all a Gift from Him, AND because I am acutely aware of the frailty of life. I savored my children, and I’m savoring my grandchildren because I Know what a Gift from God they are, and because of that, they WILL NEVER be replaced with my own entertainment.

I can only try to imagine what Heaven is going to be like, but I anticipate going there, too. With an earth filled with beauty that is impossible for me to capture in pictures or describe with words, Heaven is going to blow my mind. When I get to Heaven, I’ll be busy doing the Work that He’s been preparing for me to do all along, but when I get there, time will stand still. I’ll be there forever with all my loved ones who are/were Believers in Jesus Christ, too. I guess it’s possible for some people to be content with the idea that they’ll go to Heaven and spend Eternity on the sidelines…but NOT ME. I know that if I Savor what He has for me here, and I Work with His Plans and His Purpose in mind…if I work out my “salvation with fear and trembling” then I won’t be on the Sidelines…I’ll just be doing a Heavenly version of His Work intended just for me. With that in mind, who in the world would take Life for granted or be willing to squander their time?

This new day was beautiful when it first began, and it will be beautiful until it ends, too. I’ll leave the squandering up to all the ones who don’t “get it”. Unfortunately, their squandering will lead to a life filled with regrets…something I’ve spent a Lifetime trying to avoid altogether. No doubt I’ll savor all that I possibly can on every day the Lord gives me, and you won’t find me squandering even a minute. Instead, you’ll find me ANTICIPATING Great things. When you look for Great things from God, you find them every time!

How about you?

Change + Gratitude = Peace

/ www.LivingLarger.life

Good morning, world. Things are looking pretty good from the front porch of my farm in Virginia today. It’s one of those perfect kinds of mornings with clear skies and cool air before things heat up for the day. Part of me wishes it could be like this all the time, but if it were like this all the time, I’d eventually take it for granted. Only God is “the same yesterday, today, and forevermore” while everything else in between changes. It’s the changing that keeps us on our toes, and it’s the changing that causes some of us to seek His Will a little harder than all the others. Some changes are good ones…some are bad ones…some seemingly without much relevance at all…at least from where I sit. Because I know that change comes to all of us, I determine to face each new day with a renewed Heart and an attitude of Gratitude while I Ready myself for whatever change I might face on this new day. Isn’t that how you look at change, too?

It can be so easy to take things for granted in life if we’re not careful, but we miss out on the Purpose of Life when we do. We skip through life without a care in the world as long as things are running smoothly, and before we know it, we begin to take things for granted in the process. We live as if love will always be there – it’s when we take love for granted that it has the potential to fade. We live as if nothing in life needs to be nurtured, but nothing grows strong roots without nurturing. We live as if life never ends for anybody – it’s when we take life for granted that we forget to savor more moments. We live as if money will always be there – it’s when we take money for granted that we spend it recklessly, OR we take for granted all those beautiful opportunities that can lift us out of poverty. We live as if good health is just a way of life – it’s when we take good health for granted that we forget to protect it. We live as if we have forever to do all those things we’ve always dreamed of doing…but it’s when we take our dreams for granted that we begin to perish. There’s no end to what we take for granted and no limit to our excuses when we do. It’s ONLY when we have a sincere Attitude of Gratitude for every sliver of life that we realize how precious (and how frail) life is, and we make SURE to savor it all while we’re still here.

The Bible says that in the end times, “men will be lovers of themselves” – no doubt, taking things for granted is a very clear picture of what that looks like today. It’s the selfish heart of man that leads to taking things for granted – living for ourselves and tending to our own needs above all else. The hard Reality is that it’s not possible to be filled with an Attitude of Gratitude for all that He is and all that He does when we take so much for granted…we’re “lovers of” ourselves instead. It’s when we see the Blessing of it all…the Blessing of each one…the Blessing of every Ordained moment…the Blessing found in every up and every down…even the Blessing behind the changes…that we learn to savor it ALL and taking things for granted is Spiritually impossible. The Lord “gives and takes away,” and I can’t help but wonder if He changes things up in Life to be sure that we don’t take it for granted.

I’m savoring this cool summer morning before it changes back to the norm, and I’m overflowing with an Attitude of Gratitude even though my life isn’t “perfect” here on earth. Change comes to all of us, and I’ve had my fair share just like the rest of the world. Sometimes I embrace it and sometimes I fight it, but I always Trust Him with the change. I don’t want to take one moment…one person…one change for granted, and I want to overflow with an Attitude of Gratitude that can be seen far and wide…no no matter what’s going on in the Journey called Life. May it never be said of me that I was a “lover of” self.

How about you?