04-04-2015

Weekend Scripture: Happy Easter

Luke 24 2-3

 

When they went looking for Jesus the tomb was empty.  He had been dead in the tomb when they had placed Him in there, no life in Him but now the stone had been rolled away and Jesus was not there.  Jesus had rose from the grave.  We have hope knowing that He fulfilled His promises and He will once again when He comes back.

John 11:25-26- …“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die…”

Easter is Hope.  Hope that Jesus is going to come back again soon.  So even though today is a day of sorrow, hope always comes in the morning.

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: ,
06-27-2014

Some Faith Inspiration When You Need It

God is Using You

[Source]

[Source]

All of these are linked to the place where they are found.  I thank everyone who posted these as they inspire me and I pray they inspire you.  Sometimes life can feel heavy, like hope is lost, like you don’t know how to continue on or what you need to do.  Maybe you are at a crossroads, maybe you have to do things that seem hard… well don’t give up hope and don’t give up the faith.  Lean on Deuteronomy 31: 8- “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”  And He means it.  No matter what you do, you can ALWAYS come back to the Lord.

Filed Under: Faith Tagged With: , ,
12-19-2012

#26 Acts of Kindness

26 Acts of Kindness

So I don’t know if you have seen the campaign that has taken off  started by Ann Curry about doing 26 Acts of Kindness for  the victims of the Sandy Hook shooting. I think this is a fabulous idea.

Of course, some people are up in arms and asking why are we just doing this now, etc. And while, I definitely do not think it should take a tragedy for us to act and be nice to each other; I do think doing this can only help all of us. I think this may inspire us to take time each week to be doing random acts of kindness for others.

We all deal with tragedy differently and I am not even going to try to understand how the families and those directly affected feel. I know all of us are just trying to make sense of something that in all honestly probably will never make sense. It just won’t. So I think taking time to remember what is important, and helping others out will help all of us.

A Facebook Page has been started, 26 Acts of Kindness and when you tweet out there are hashtags #26acts & #26actsofkindness.

I do want to say that anyone using this tragedy for their own means, to gain followers, etc. is absolutely despicable and horrible. I could not imagine why they would feel that is appropriate BUT, I also feel like getting the word out about this is truly honoring those innocent victims, and those brave teachers and administrators who lost their lives. It recognizes the brave firemen, policemen, detectives, emergency personnell and others who risked their lives running into the scene where they had no idea what to expect or if they would potentially be shot at. There are so many heroes to come from this tragedy, and I am sure they would tell you they are not a hero but were just doing what they would hope you would do. They deserve to be honored.

Now, these are just ones I have come up with. I am sure there are lots more!  One thing I think you should do no matter what Acts of Kindness you do is include a note with the hashtag or in memory of the victims.  I am sure anyone who is a recepient of a random act of kindness would want to pass it on.

  • Hand out cards with a few dollars in them to random strangers
  • Put quarters in the candy machines
  • Leave giftcards/notes on cars
  • Beds/towels/food to an animal shelter
  • Leave a treat in someone’s cart
  • Random thank you notes to people who have made an impact on your life
  • Food to a neighbor
  • Visit the sick/elderly
  • Cookies to the firestation
  • Donate to a cause
  • Pay off someone’s layaway for Christmas
  • Toys to the hospital
  • Pay for car behind you at drive-thru/Starbucks
  • 100% tip at a restautant
  • Buy some candy and attach a nice note
  • Donate airline miles
  • Christmas cards or packages to those serving overseas
  • Writing Thank You Notes to the First Responders (addresses here)
  • Pay someones meter

And there are SO many more!  I wrote this more as a help to me as well to remember things to do, not just now but always.  Imagine if everyone did 26 Acts of Kindness or even in normal day to day just one act a week… how many millions of Kindness acts would we accomplish.

Filed Under: Hope, Inspiration, Life Tagged With: , , ,
03-18-2011

Patience

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint
Isaiah 40:31

This verse always inspires me. It is the verse I have been leaning on the most during this season of life. Life will never be like we “plan” it to be. I mean, what business do I have “planning” life? Really? Of course it isn’t that simple, is it? I am not always one to talk about my struggles but I will say this past year has not been easy.

I graduated with my M.Ed and hoped to find a teaching job. I had one lined up and at the very last minute it was taken away from me. Too late for any other the other jobs as they were all taken. Does it frustrated me? To the end. Some days I am overwhelmed with the fact of how unfair it was. It was taken away because of a tenured situation where someone was tenured & their job was lost & so mine was taken away. I think what bothers me the most about it is not that it happened but how it was handled. How I was told and have been treated since.

I don’t know, it isn’t like I feel like I am owed something because I most certainly am not but it is just frustrating feeling like I have made nothing of my life and where I think I should be. I realize I just got out of school not even a year ago but sometimes it seems like all hope is lost.

It is at those moments when I reflect on this verse and know that I just need to keep hoping on the Lord and He will renew my strength. He is what keeps me going knowing that it isn’t an accident and there is a purpose I am where I am. I mean, for all I know the job that I am supposed to have just isn’t open yet? God’s timing doesn’t work how mine does. I can put deadlines and limits on life all I want but it isn’t going to do anything. There is a church near my house that has wonderful church signs (thinking of that I have been actually meaning to take a picture of it….) but it currently says:

Patience is trusting in God’s timing

Hard? heck yes! But can I do it? Yes I can. And sometimes I realize how ridiculous I am being. There are a lot worse situations I could be in, a lot worse and I recognize that.

Filed Under: Faith, Verses, waiting Tagged With: , , ,