How can we fall so fast from being on an absolute mountain high to plummeting to the depth of, “IT’S OVER?”

If you have ever been on a great vacation, then you know exactly what I’m talking about.

You pack your suitcases with great expectation! You check your list once and you recheck it twice. Nothing is left behind! You arrive at your destination, and from the first day to the last you are on a thrill ride of happiness!

Then it happens, two days are left and you push through holding tight to the shrill of excitement you are experiencing. Then you wake up the next morning and there’s only one day left. What do you do? You pack it full of more fun than you’ve had the whole entire time! You go to bed exhausted and no matter how late you stay up or how hard you try to hang on…The day ends and the next morning dawns, It’s time to go home!

So what are we supposed to do? How can we stop the vacation ends blues?

I only know ONE antidote! 

I am the worst at the “vacation ends blues!” In fact if you ask my family, please don’t, but if you did, they would say that I start two days in fighting the “Vacation ends blues!” I start to get quiet, which scares absolutely everyone around me because I’m not normally quiet. I get melancholy, which also scares everyone around me because I’m never melancholy, unless something great is ending! I have even been known to shed tears.

So what do I do? I turned to the word of God and I follow his course of action for turning our sorrow into joy! I put his word of truth into practice in my life!

“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”Colossians 3:16

I practice an attitude of gratitude!

I take all the gratitude my heart for such a wonderful time, I turn it into thankful words and songs to Him for all he has given, shown and done for me!

I take the sadness that I feel and I began to show gratitude to God for all he has done for me through my words and my songs of praise and thankfulness to him!

TRUTH BOMB

HAVING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE REPLACES OUR SADNESS WITH GODS JOY!

I pray you are able to let his truth sink in, wash over you and turn those blues into gratitude!

Speak Truth Love 

WHAT DO YOU TAKE FOR GRANTED?

At the ____ age I am at, I may not “jump” out of bed as briskly as I once did. I admit there are more faint noises of creaking bones than there used to be! But I do wake up each morning with breath in my lungs and the ability to put both feet on the floor and say, “Thank you Lord for another day!”

It is a gift that I can easily take for-granted!

The Word of God speaks this Truth loud and clear;

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”  James 1:17

I can quote this Truth, speak this Truth out loud, even share this Truth and still turn right around and take it for-granted!

Every Summer for many years now, my family has received the blessing of a Beach House vacation. Because of the GIFT of a beautiful friendship, grounded in God and His love for us, our friends GIFT us this time.

We play in the sand, lounge in the sun, ride the waves, and enjoy the moderate temperatures of Newport Beach!

I never want to take for-granted what a GIFT this is! Not only could my husband and I never afford to indulge our family like this. But even more so, only God could create such a friendship that has stood the test of time, trial, triumph, tragedy, and testimony!

God has given us the GIFT of true friendship, grounded in Him and sustained by Him! 

As I sat on the sand watching my family body surf the magnificent waves of the Pacific Ocean, my heart was reminded to never take the Creator of ALL GOOD AND PERFECT GIFTS FOR-GRANTED!

Again, only the TRUTH  of God speaks to this GIFT;

“You rule the oceans.

    You subdue their storm-tossed waves.

 You crushed the great sea monster.

    You scattered your enemies with your mighty arm.

The heavens are yours, and the earth is yours;

    everything in the world is yours—you created it all.

You created north and south.

    Mount Tabor and Mount Hermon praise your name.”   Psalm 89: 9-12

“He spoke, and the winds rose,

    stirring up the waves.

Their ships were tossed to the heavens

    and plunged again to the depths;

    the sailors cringed in terror.

They reeled and staggered like drunkards

    and were at their wits’ end.

 “Lord, help!” they cried in their trouble,

    and he saved them from their distress.

He calmed the storm to a whisper

    and stilled the waves.

What a blessing was that stillness

    as he brought them safely into harbor!

Let them praise the Lord for his great love

    and for the wonderful things he has done for them.“

Psalm 107:26-30

TRUTH BOMB

GOOD GIFTS COME FROM GOD AND SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED!

Like the GIFT of a Good Friendship, a Good Family Time, a Good wave to ride, a Good beach to visit, a Good walk at sunrise or sunset or a Good breath breathed in deeply as a new day begins, ALL GOOD GIFTS ARE FROM GOD AND SHOULD NEVER BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED!

Speak Truth Love

The Inescapable Responsibility of Forgiveness

Have you ever tried to get out of something that you found yourself trapped in?  

You are hemmed in on all sides, the pressure continues to mount, and you feel like there is no escape?  When I was 8 years old, I went to a lake with my family to swim. My cousins and my aunt and uncle were there with me and my family. Two of my cousins were older than I was. They were challenging me to go out into the deeper water with them. I felt a caution, not that I couldn’t swim, but that the waves from the boats were making the water rough. Not wanting to fail the challenge, I kept stepping out further and further. I remember looking back at the shore to see if my mom and dad could see me. I was feeling quite proud of myself at this point. In a split second it happened: the waves overtook me and I felt myself go under. Being a lake, it was murky water, and I couldn’t see anything. The waves kept crashing on top of me, and I kept flailing to reach the top. I know that a human body can only go a certain without air, but it felt like an eternity under water. As hard as I struggled, I could not reach the top. I was trapped, hemmed in on all sides, and I felt like I could not escape. Just as I felt my mind going from panic to blackout, I felt an arm scoop me up. My dad carried me out of the water and onto my beach towel. 

Maybe like me, you have been in a physical place of no escape. But have you ever been in a place of emotional “no escape”?  Words were said that you wish you could take back. Self control was lost that you wish you had demonstrated. And way too much time had lapsed between a needed conversation. 

Forgiveness can feel like being trapped, when we don’t want to do it. If we follow Jesus, there is no escape clause when it comes to forgiveness. And it goes both ways. We are called to forgive one another when they offend us, and we are called to ask for forgiveness when we offend someone else. And the kicker is, either way, we are called to initiate the reconciliation! 

Time and time again. Remember when Peter asked Jesus, “Lord, how many times do I have to forgive my brother?”  And Jesus said, “70 x 7”, which meant “as many times as it takes” (Matthew 18:21-22). Then Jesus went on to tell a parable about a debtor who had his own enormous debt forgiven by the Master, but then wouldn’t go out and forgive a small debt toward someone else. 

 Friends, if we are to live life with our heads above water and shine our lights for Jesus, we never shine so brightly, as when we forgive, and when we ask for forgiveness. Both ways call us to put away our pride and put others before ourselves. We have to let go of our rights. We have to value the relationship more than who was right or wrong. “Go and be reconciled to your brother.” Just like Jesus did, just like Jesus does!

Truth Bomb

We never shine so brightly as when we forgive another! 

Speak Truth Love

Freedom isn’t free. It was paid in full by Christ on the cross. 

Have you ever been given something for free?  I’m not just talking about a birthday gift. I’m talking about something unearned that cost you absolutely nothing!

When our son was a senior in high school, I absolutely loved taking him back and forth to school at the crack of dawn. He always had honors classes or early morning practices before the first class period began. The time he and I shared in the car back and forth to school was priceless to me. I had his undivided attention, and he needed me for transportation. Truthfully, we each shared many important concerns, questions and overall experiences. I wouldn’t have traded the time for anything in the world. 

But as all good things do, it needed to come to an end. My son was growing up and I needed to continue letting go, so that he could become the man God intended him to be. He needed a car!

Easier said than done, right?

Only 3 years before my husband and I had done everything we could to buy a car for his sister. She was going off to college and we could no longer transport her. How in the world were we ever going to be able to pull off another car payment for him?

I was at my women’s Bible study group one night, and I shared a prayer request for God’s wisdom and leading in getting our son a car. A few nights later, Jim and I received a phone call. One of our good friends who was a part of my group and heard my request had gone home and spoken with her husband. They were getting a new car, and wanted to give their Toyota 4 Runner to our son. They wanted absolutely nothing for it but $1.00 so we could exchange the title at the DMV. We tried to offer something for it. We felt so humbled and didn’t want to take such a wonderful gift, but they both insisted!

Our son drove that car through his senior year of high school, all through his years at college, into his marriage and through grad school, and then all the way to Northern California for his first full time ministry position. 

The story gets even better! When our son and his wife decided it was time to buy a new car, they gifted the 4 Runner to a young couple in ministry! He still drives it to this day.

When we receive something that is “free,” it may be free to us, but it cost someone else something. Our friends could have sold or traded in their car to buy another one. Instead, they freely gave it to us!  

Jesus said, “If you hold to my teachings, you are really my disciples. And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. And if the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.” John 8:32,36

TRUTH BOMB

True disciples of Jesus Christ are set free indeed!

When receiving a gift that is free, it is humbling, and yet empowering. When someone cares enough to freely give you something of value, you feel seen, appreciated, and loved! No one displays this any greater than Jesus. He is our true Liberator! When we choose to follow Him, this not only gives us freedom, but value and worth. It costs us nothing. He did at all. He loves us so much, that He sets us free!

Speak Truth Love