The Present, The Forest.... The Future

"You have the ability to see the forest in spite of the trees."

Words from my boss.

"Sobriety concerning the brevity of life brings maturity."

Words from my pastor.

I'm a listener....but beyond listening....
I am a ponderer.....and beyond pondering....
I am a doer.

I'm the person who gets up early,  unloads the dishwasher, and cleans up whatever late night dishes were put in the sink BEFORE starting breakfast.

What can I say? I'm a creature of diligence.

(Thank you, Mom and Dad, for your voice of wisdom and instruction early on that set the Godly foundation upon which many of today's actions are built.)

In 33 months, I turn 50. I'm not in the least bit intimidated by that immovable known. Instead, I am internally compelled (first, by thought) to then make (by active steadfast daily steps) each of those thirty three months months of steadfast growth and adventure.

I HAVE 33 months -- leading up to my year of Jubilee -- to grow and experience this GIFT of LIFE that God has granted to me.  What's not to be joyful about that?!

"Always the eternal optimist."

Again, words from my boss.

I wouldn't want to live any other way.
I don't know how to live any other way.

An employee at work stated, "When I see you coming, it makes me check myself; you make me want to do better."

Is it that everything in life has gone has I thought it should?  FAR from it.

Is it that everything in life is great, peachy-keen, and all that jazz?  Again, FAR from it.

I have known adversity.  I have known the challenges of job displacement, familial health crisis, and marital heartbreak. I have known the challenges of raising God-following children in this day's anti-God climate.
I. Have. Known.

But I.......*I* .... permit that knowing to steer not only my thoughts, but my entire being in one of only two directions.

God-honoring OR God-displeasing.

I CHOOSE.

Recently, my boss shared a saying that they heard that set them to pondering; (I can't help but grin here... pondering is contagious. ;o) ):

"Life does not happen TO you. It happens FOR you."  

Amazing what the changing of that one preposition can do to our train of thought.... it turns a potentially negative thought to a positive one.  Instead of thinking something is happening to you.... turn it around... what's God teaching you through the circumstances that is as His Word declares... FOR good.  (Romans 8:28)

Negativity.
Undisciplined.
Complaining.
NONE of these mindsets and subsequent actions are of God.  N. O. N. E.

If you tend to wrestle with these mindsets, I challenge you to take the time and listen to the following:   (It does have a small ad for the series in the middle of the video you can forward through.)

Remember.... 

Guard your thoughts...
Guard your words...
they lead to action...
be it either
grumbling OR praise
and THAT, dear ones, leads to
death OR life.

Dominoes are real!

Thoughts bear actions.

Actions bear consequences.

Choose wisely.

Choose rightly.

Choose LIFE.


"Rejoice in the Lord always.
 I will say it again:
REJOICE!"

Philippians 4:4


Godspeed, dear ones; Godspeed!