Rain, Rain! Don’t Go Away – You are Welcome in this Day

Oh, the wonderful rain that has come to us in Frisco. Two days in a row means the blistering heat has subsided and I don’t have to water plants and grass. My two fur-pals haven’t been too crazy about it – they don’t like playing or walking in the rain. I've learned not to complain about the heat, the cold or rain, because, here in Texas, it's subject to change daily. We might as well brace ourselves and go with the flow!

Isn't that like our personal "climates", too? One day we are bright with a sunny disposition. Things are going our way -- even the lights are turning green before we get to them. And, another day, it's cloudy, rainy with thunderstorms overtaking us. The thrills of that "shout-hallelujah" victory can be overtaken by that "woe is me" agony of defeat.

But it's inevitable that there will be ups and downs in our lives. And, Lord, have mercy – we have had plenty of ups and downs the last few months, haven’t we? A country music legend, Lynn Anderson, made the song "Rose Garden" famous. The lyrics were: “I beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden. Along with the sunshine, there’s got to be a little rain sometime.”

When we read the writings of the Apostle Paul, we might think that he and Lynn Anderson partnered up in writing that song. Paul knew suffering and he wrote to us about it, but he weathered it, because he also knew God’s peace in the suffering. He was talking about a calm that comes because of God's love for us. The calm that comes even when the storm clouds gather. Paul even had the audacity to tell us to "rejoice in our sufferings"! He said in Romans 3:3-5 "We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us."

Really? We're supposed to rejoice in our sufferings? Sufferings like being in isolation, having to home school our kids, an illness, a relationship break-up, a divorce, facing bankruptcy, the death of a loved one, wayward children, losing a job or even suffering through this presidential election rancor-- we are supposed to rejoice in those sufferings? God didn't mean for us to celebrate loses or even ignore pain or suffering. No, no, no. Instead, he meant that suffering is a part of life. No matter how many times we complain that life is not fair, Paul wants us to know that suffering (a little rain) is the part of our lives that helps us grow to be hope-filled people of character and determination. That rain gives us hope for tomorrow’s beautiful rose gardens in our lives.

What Lynn Anderson's song doesn't tell us, and what Paul wanted so desperately for us to know, is that God loves us so much that He promised never to leave us alone. The rain comes and suffering comes, but with God, we'll receive patient endurance. And patience leads to character. And character leads to hope. And hope will not disappoint us. That's a mighty fine recipe for pulling us from the darkest of times, to the brightest sunshine times EVER. That's when we'll be singing "Rain, rain – don’t go away – you are welcome in this day!” Because, tomorrow we’ll be singing “I’m walking on sunshine – whoa oh! – and don’t it feel good?"

A Fire. A Journal. A Blessing

A few days ago, my daughter sent me this text message: “Do you know when the fire in our home was?” Of course, she could ask me that because she knows about my daily journal writing. It’s a routine that I’ve been quite consistent with for decades. I write about significant details of my day, notable happenings of my family and little nuggets from God in our time together during my devotions. Staci was asking that question because a couple who was at their church the next Sunday after the fire and heard their “victory” testimony of God’s amazing grace, asked for the date. It was a pivotal story for that couple. It touched their lives so much that they starting looking at life differently – with gratitude in the midst of chaos and disappointment.

On this day, when Staci asked about that specific horrific, yet victorious day, I was able to go right to my 2002 journal because I remembered it was when Payton was two years old and Alexia was 9 months old. We received the call that their garage and home in Prosper, TX were on fire. It was a 4-alarm fire caused by a squirrel eating through electrical wires and when they switched on their lights, it ignited the fire. Their home was unliveable because of so major damage.

We lived in Tulsa and we headed right out to retrieve the little ones. My husband and I kept them for two months while the home was being restored. That, of itself, made many pages in my journal! Over and over I’d comment how exhausted we were at the end of each day, but most precious to me were the words I wrote about how helpful Ron (Papa) was with the kiddos. It made me love him even more. One of these days – I’ll just sit, reminisce and re-read all my entries – but there’s no sitting for this gal right now. Too much to do and accomplish before “sitting days” set in!

Here’s the blessings that came out of what could have been a tragic day of monumental proportions. No one suffered physical harm. They were able to retrieve important original music and speaking tracks from Staci’s recordings, Larry’s college rings, Staci’s jewelry, her scrap books and treasured pictures. They ended up getting enough back from their insurance to do some major remodeling in the home that they had been wanting to do. Things that mattered were saved and other things were replaceable.

But here is the ultimate, best news. People were watching them and how they handled a crisis. God gave Staci a song as she sat on the curb while watching her home burning. She experienced the peace of God that passed understanding. I called her and asked her to give me those words for this blog and she sang them to me. With holy chills, I share them with you of what peace looks like in the midst of a fire or any storm:

“Thanks for the joy that You’ve given to me.
Thanks for Your love -- unconditionally.
Oh, thanks for peace in the midst of the storms.
Lord, I thank you. I thank you.
Because, You’ve been faithful, faithful to me.
Lord, You’re faithful. Your mercies I see.
And when I look back on my life,
The message is clear, You’ve been so faithful to me.”

People are watching us every day. What do we look and act like in times of crisis? How do we live our faith out loud? How do we display our faith and character when we’re pinned up against a wall? Who do we turn to in times of tribulation? I don’t know about you – but I like to think that I go to the Rock of my salvation. When all the earth around me is sinking sand, on Christ the solid Rock I stand. When I need a shelter; when I need a friend – I go to the Rock! I just couldn’t help myself. I broke into song when I was typing this! God is faithful and as we stay faith-FULL in the ups and downs of our lives – may we find the blessings in the midst of the fires, the storms, the winds and the waves -- because -- God is faithful!

No Pain or Trial is Wasted

Most of my posts are from my own personal life experiences. St. Paul said, in 2 Corinthians 1:4 "That you may be comforted with the same comfort that I have been comforted with." And, indeed, it is MY utmost desire to comfort others with the same comfort that I have been comforted with during my own difficult times. I want to help others learn their lessons.....much faster than I did. That being said, I segue from my own words to a dear friend's words that I read recently in his FB post. I was so stirred that I had to pass along an excerpt for you. Anyone facing pain and trials can learn from his words.

“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable.” Orson F. Whitney

Two events this week caused me to pause and reflect on the words above. On Thursday morning, the son of a family in our church congregation was killed in a motorcycle accident. He leaves behind a young wife and a grieving family. His father and sister spoke in church today about how challenging the past 72 hours have been. Despite their grief, the family's faith in God has not diminished. They choose to trust in Him even though they do not understand why their son/brother was taken back home at such a young age. They believe they will see him again someday because of the sacrifice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and testified the family has received many blessings in the form of "tender mercies" since he was killed. They have been strengthened. I admire the example of this sweet family. They move forward with faith and our prayers are with them.

Yesterday morning, after our daughter Aryn had been complaining of abdominal pain and running a high fever, two of her uncles who are health care professionals diagnosed the problem as a possible ruptured appendix and encouraged us to take her to the ER ASAP. After some tests, it was determined she needed to have her appendix removed but it had not yet ruptured. They rushed her into surgery and she came home last night. She is recovering just fine! Although this surgery will cost us several thousands of dollars even with insurance, how grateful we are that Aryn was protected. We realize had her uncles not identified the problem when they did, things could have been MUCH worse.

During her surgery, the veil was very thin for Aryn. She was blessed to see family members on the other side...my parents & Belenda's father, our daughter and grandson, future children coming to our family, and other relatives she didn't recognize. Through this trial, Aryn and our family received this blessing of further understanding that life after this Earth continues. My parents were very happy. My dad was holding Aryn's hand and comforting her...even teasing her like he did when he was alive.

Why do some things happen in this life? I don't know. But, I have faith that God is in control and through all our trials and experiences, we can find those "tender mercies" and blessings that will "build up our characters, purify our hearts, expand our souls, and make us more tender and charitable.” And I conclude this post by sharing and encouraging us all with God’s words, from Romans 8:18-23 "Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory He will give us later.”

Romans 5:3-5 “Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”
Thank you, Eddie Espiritu, for blessing and encouraging us with God's words and your heartfelt words,

Honoring President George H.W. Bush -- Character is What Mattered Most

A gift of two tickets from my children to the OU vs Texas Big-12 game on Saturday sure made me giddy and proud to represent our Oklahoma team well. It was a thrill to be on the “winning” side in the Cowboys’ incredible AT&T Stadium. On our way back home, my Waze app directed us to go down the President George Bush Tollway (PGBT). It was Saturday so the usual traffic was way less and we made it home quickly.

Not until I heard about our 41st President George H.W. Bush passing away late Saturday, did I think much about a toll road named after him. Suffice it to say, that person must have lived a stellar life and done some remarkable things, to have something named after them. I remember my daughter's comments about his genuine kindness to her after she sang "God Bless America" and "I'm Proud to be an American" at an event where she shared the stage with him at a motivational event. His "talk" was about character and freedom.

I've read many stories that came with many accolades and acknowledgments of his character, integrity, and honor. He was the last U.S. president to have served in combat. He and his adoring wife, Barbara, hold the record for the longest marriage in presidential history. A young man of "means", he enlisted in the armed forces on his 18th birthday. The youngest pilot in the Navy when he got his wings, he flew 58 combat missions during the World War II. On a mission over the Pacific, he was shot down and rescued by a US submarine. He was elected to two terms in the House of Representatives, then served as Ambassador to the UN, then Director of the CIA, vice president, and president.

More than all those accomplishments, President Bush has been remembered most for his personal character. President Trump celebrated Mr. Bush’s “authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family, and country.” NATO Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison added, “He represented the best of our country with generosity, dignity, humility, and kindness.” His son, Jeb, called him simply “the greatest human being that I will ever know.”

Two commitments explain Mr. Bush’s legacy: his desire to live with integrity, and his love for Christ. It had to be his faith that produced such a legacy of character. Here’s what is most important for us to learn from someone who has lived a value-based life. A life of such character does not end when its days on earth are over. The Bible says of the righteous Abel, “Through his faith, though he died, he still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4).

We can certainly learn from his legacy and resolve to emulate his life of character and commitment to Jesus. If we make those choices, our lives will speak on earth long after we are in heaven. Dr. Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts – not on marble.”

We will remember you, President Bush! Thank you for living your life with honor and integrity. This day, I’m being challenged with taking my own character up a notch because of the inspiration of your life and death. RIP.

Are We Behaving Wisely?

Typically, we use the word, misbehaving, when it comes to the way our children act up. But, I'm sure you will agree that we have been inundated with "misbehaving" adults lately, particularly in the political arena. But, that's them, what about us? We faith-talking, Bible-toting, cross-wearing, Christ-following people are being watched by those in our sphere of influence. They scrutinize us and the life we live at home and outside the home is one we cannot afford to compromise or lose. Like David, we need to BEHAVE ourselves wisely. Take a look at his example:

We first hear about David` as a shepherd boy keeping watch over his father's sheep. Then we read about him being anointed by Samuel to become king one day. Soon he started serving King Saul in a musical capacity and though he still tended his sheep, when Saul called for him to play his music, he showed up. Not long after that, he defeated the Philistine giant, Goliath.

That conquest was greater than only killing Goliath. When the Philistines saw that their leader was dead, they ran in terror. That's when the Israeli armies ran after the Philistines, killed them all and plundered their tents. Not only were their enemies defeated, but they took home the goods and treasures with them.

The crowd's victory cheers went like this "Saul has slain his thousands, but David, his ten-thousands." From that point on, Saul's jealousy made him bound and determined to kill David, but all his attempts were foiled. This leads me back to my main point in today's post. In 1 Samuel 18:5, we read "So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he BEHAVED wisely." Verse 14: "And David BEHAVED in all his ways, and the Lord was with him." In Verse 30, "David BEHAVED more wisely than all the servants of Saul so that his name became highly esteemed."

David did the right thing when the wrong thing was done to him. He could have become arrogant and self-serving when he received all the acclaim, but he BEHAVED well. He could have taken revenge on Saul, but he BEHAVED well. He BEHAVED well even when he carried a lot of responsibilities. As David behaved himself wisely he earned the respect of the people of Israel and even the servants of Saul. He served patiently and faithfully and he was noticed and respected for that.

Our country is in desperate need of Godly leadership. We need those who will live a life of integrity before God and others. Integrity is not just measured by who we are in public, but who we are in private when no one else is around. Integrity and character are doing the right thing when no one is watching. As followers of Christ, we should BEHAVE ourselves in such a way that it pleases and honors God. Shouldn't we, in every situation, be men and women of integrity? Shouldn't we consistently be asking ourselves: "Am I behaving well in this situation? Am I making a difference in the world around me? Do we hear God saying about us "She/He behaved wisely." If not, shouldn't we make it a priority to start NOW?

The Legacy of Billy Graham

These were some of the headlines of news releases yesterday: From U.S. News: “Billy Graham, America's pastor, has died”; From CNN: “Billy Graham, whose 'matchless voice changed the lives of millions,' dies at 99; NBC News: “Billy Graham, evangelist, pastor and counselor to presidents, dead at age 99”.

No words of defamation. No words of scandal. No words of scorn. Only words of character, honor, dignity and integrity about a true servant of God who had the biggest heart for winning people to Christ. He redefined American life by popularizing Christianity's core message — Christ died for your sins — downplaying denominational details and proclaiming the joys found in faith.

The accolades inspired me to write this post today. Only God knows the number of souls that came into a relationship with Jesus of Billy Graham's life and message. My earliest memories of Billy Graham were of hearing his message of placing our lives in the hands of God, and then the song "Just As I Am" would be sung by the massive choir, and there would be droves of people who went forward to receive Christ as their Savior.

Two years ago, I was walking through the halls of Northwestern University, St. Paul, MN, while at the NCFCA National Speech & Debate Competition with my grandchildren. I passed this portrait of Billy Graham many times. I knew I needed to take a photo of it. His portrait is 2nd in line of all the other presidents. In 1947, at age 30, Billy Graham became the 2nd president there, and at the time, was the youngest person to serve as a sitting president of any U.S. college or university. He served as president from 1948 to 1952 when he resigned to become a full-time minister.

I thought about his legacy, the seeds he planted in the future generations there, and how that legacy laid the foundation of "seed time and harvest" of his future. While Billy has crossed his finish line, those young people in that university and the rest of us who were impacted by his ministry, will continue to plant seeds that will influence others for Christ. Surely this scripture applies: "Truly I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains by itself. But if it dies, it produces much fruit." John 12:24.

Billy Graham's heart for reaching out to the masses with the love of Jesus could not be confined to a university. He carried it to the world and millions came to know Christ because of his message. No doubt, the heavenly choirs were assembled and the bands were already tuning up for Billy’s grand entrance into heaven. Hearing about his passing and remembering those halls of Northwestern University, has increased my own desire to live with a determined purpose to know Christ more and to share His love passionately.

A General of Faith went home yesterday, but we’re still here to pick up the baton he left for us to run with. That baton in our hands is the same baton Christ gave us and it is to continue to spread the Good News, sow into this generation encouragement and help steer them to a relationship with Jesus Christ. Then we, too, will not only impact this generation, but the generations to come.

With all the scandalous stories of high profile individuals that seem to come down the pipe daily, it gives me such appreciation for someone (anyone) who stays the course of faithfulness to God and family, who lives what he preaches, and who lives with passion of taking as many souls with him to heaven as possible.

In his autobiography, Just As I Am, he wrote, "If anything has been accomplished through my life, it has been solely God's doing, not mine, and He-not I-must get the credit." Along with God's words to Billy when he entered the pearly gates, I'm joining in with mine, too! "Well done, good and faithful servant, Billy Graham. Thank you, God, for giving us a true and faithful role model to follow." RIP, Billy Graham.

Please Let Me Introduce You to Rimon!

If you follow my daily FB posts or my blog, you’ll remember my Holy Lands' daily log of awe-inspiring, faith-filled experiences that I and my fellow travelers savored from the moment we landed at the Israel Ben Gurion Airport. The reason, was in large part because of our tour guide, Rimon. If you were planning this trip of a lifetime that would ensure you of a greater depth of love for Jesus Christ and one that would take your Bible readings to a whole new level of appreciation, I would have urged you to choose Rimon as your Tour Guide.

Rimon was Jerusalem-born-and-raised and seemed to speak a dozen languages because no matter who we encountered along the way, he'd speak fluently with them. Rimon opened our eyes and hearts to the places where Jesus lived, healed, forgave, transformed, raised the dead, set captives free, suffered, died, was buried and rose to heaven. Rimon knew and loved his land AND the Bible. He quoted so many scriptures and let the Bible unfold as we saw places we had only read and heard about. Rimon really was a "living stone" among the ancient stones of the land, as an ambassador of the land, its people, culture, religious traditions, their history, and their suffering and hopes. Born on the Mt of Olives, he lived in Jerusalem all his life. His father is buried on Mt Zion. His grandfather’s tomb is in the Garden of Gethsemane. As a child, Rimon was fascinated by tour guides. He'd follow tourists inside the church and offered to guide them. So, in the holiest place of Christianity, his "ministry" as a Christian tour guide took off.

How can you spend only a few days of your life with someone and be impacted in such a way that your life would be forever changed? Rimon shined so brightly as a reflection of our Lord’s light and that light penetrated into our souls and we knew that those few days together were but a foretaste of the joys that await us when we gather together in heaven.

I'm sure many would like to have Rimon's info so you can find out about his next tour. You will have to wait in line with patience as a loving, joyful, fully devoted follower of Christ, because the line you’ll be waiting in is the one in which you'll get the ultimate “Grand Tour” of heaven. I, and my fellow travelers and thousands of others, were shocked when we received word on Monday that Rimon had a fatal heart attack on Monday. No doubt he received a “Fast Pass” to heaven. I could hardly believe that this beautiful servant of Christ could have left us so soon. In June, when a group of Texans, a few Arkansans and Oklahomans traveled to Jerusalem, it was Rimon that met us. From the moment we met him, we knew he wasn’t a typical tour guide, simply doing his “tour guide” job. It really was his ministry to represent Christ’s homeland on this earth, and, what an extraordinary representative he was.

The question is “What will we be remembered for? What will we leave our heirs and those who know us? Lately, there have been many well-known celebrities who passed away and great accolades were given for their talents and success stories I can't imagine that any of those people could top beautiful people like Rimon whose lives and stories of great faith, character and service impacted us for eternity. More than the tangible inheritances, our good character is creating a legacy that will continue to speak long after our life on this earth has ended. "Unquestionable character" is one of the greatest gifts we can leave for others....and that comes as we embrace the character of our Father God.

Charles Spurgeon said, “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts – not on marble.” Rimon carved his name on our hearts – he will be remembered as one who loved the Lord with all his heart, soul and mind – and we’ll never be the same because we took a little "heavenly" journey with him on this earth. We'll see you later, Rimon! RIP!

Doing the Right Thing

After 18 years as a Real Estate Broker, today, I will be completing my Real Estate Broker-in-Charge requirements for another 3-year term. My sweetheart had over 30 years under his belt when he went to heaven. After obtaining my initial R/E Associate License, he urged me to obtain my Broker's license to further assist him in our Sonlife Properties R/E Company. At the time, it seemed so unneeded (better said, UN-wanted -- it meant I had to use a lot of brain power to learn so much), but I am so grateful he was relentless in encouraging me to finish strong. Now I know why. The blessings, for both of us in our years of real estate, have been so many, and since he went to heaven, it has served me so well.

I always learn so much when I attend these continuing education courses which are also "refresher" courses. These few days have been no exception. So many rules, regulations, do's and don'ts, attention to details, ethics, standards, laws, codes, provisions! Ugh! Laws....all those things that restrain us, keep us from fun and living it up. OR, is it those things that FREE us and PROTECT us and give us a meaningful, blessed and prosperous life? In these classes, plenty of tragic stories are heard of how negligence or lack of integrity destroyed a family's life. But, at the same time, we heard stories that "saved the day" because of law-abiding, generous, kind and thoughtful actions that were taken.

Whether it be in real estate, or any profession, or being a good citizen who adheres to the laws of the land, we will be known by our actions. J.C. Watts said, "Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught." And, the Apostle Paul said in Matthew 7:20 "You will know them by their fruits."

Our reputation of honesty and integrity is worth its weight in gold in all of our business relations, our human relations, and our relationship with God. There will be so many opportunities in our life to take a shortcut or do the wrong thing or even to justify bad behavior as a reaction to someone else’s bad behavior. Let's live our lives in such a way that when each day comes to a close we can look in the mirror and say, “Today I did the right thing.”

I love looking up the meaning of people's names. In fact, as a gift to a group of women not long ago, I gave them each a card that included their name, the character quality of their name and a scripture verse that goes with their name, like those pictured here. In fact, I love helping new parents understand the meaning of the name they're choosing or have chosen for their child.

Throughout history, a person's name was very important. In Biblical times, a person's surname linked them to their genealogy and even their first names often described their circumstances. For example, Abraham, Father of Many Nations.

When King Solomon said these words, "A good name is better than a good ointment" (a sweet smelling savor), he was speaking about their character. In ancient days, perfumes were very costly and a good name (not referring to the actual name, but their character) didn't compare in value.

We can certainly put on perfume or aftershave and we'll smell good for a short time, but a good name is lasting. It stays with us wherever we go, in every setting in life. We hear "Hitler" and we think a notorious, ruthless, diabolical dictator and murderer. We hear "Mother Teresa" and we think a loving, compassionate, giving caring, and servant of true character and honor.

What do people think when they hear your name? Is it good or bad? I have good news. When we connect and stay connected to God and desire to become like Him in character and integrity, we'll start becoming like Him, regardless of the name our Mom and Dad chose for us. Let's live in such a way, that if someone spoke badly of us -- no one would believe it!

Character is Doing the Right Thing

Day 256 of Photo Inspirations -- Character is Doing the Right Thing

When I was just a little girl, my Mom and I were at the grocery store and I saw a wrapped candy bar on the floor at the cashier’s check-out stand.  I snuck it into my pocket.  I figured “Finders Keepers”! But as we walked out of the store, my Mom saw my hidden “stash”, and she turned me around and marched me back into the store to admit the error of my ways.  That day I learned such a valuable lesson in honesty and it has stuck with me to this day – so much so, that if the cashier gives me too much change back, I’ll quickly let her know.

And then, there’s the grocery cart dilemma.  Do I go ALL THE WAY to the grocery cart corral and put my grocery cart where it belongs, or do I just slip it in-between some cars or on a curb?   If I wasn’t parked close to the corral, that’s what I would do.  But then the day came when I was walking away from leaving my grocery cart in one of those care-less locations, and when I turned to walk away, I saw it rolling quickly toward a car.  Thankfully, I recovered it before it hit.  That day I learned the values of integrity and character.

J.C. Watts, former politician, said, “Character is doing the right thing when nobody's looking. There are too many people who think that the only thing that's right is to get by, and the only thing that's wrong is to get caught”.  And that is so very true.  Character is the one thing no one can take from us. It is what we hold dear to us.  It is a non-negotiable core value.

Some folks pay little attention to doing the “right thing”.  They tell their kids to tell a caller “I’m NOT home.”  It’s okay for a little white lie here and there.  It’s okay to put something they’ve changed their mind about in another location in a store (i.e., a head of lettuce in the laundry detergent aisle).  It’s okay to “fudge” on their income taxes.  It’s okay to take office supplies home from their place of employment.  They rationalize that they’re not getting paid what they deserve anyway.

Never has it been clearer to me, that character should take the highest priority when it comes to being trustworthy and credible to our children, our peers, our neighbors, our constituents……but most of all….to God.  He has a front row seat in our lives. Our actions DO speak louder than words.  It makes Dad so proud of His kids when He sees them “doing the right thing when no one is looking."

Fact is – DAD is ALWAYS looking.  And even if there were no consequences, no laws, no fear of any reprisals for our actions, when we do the RIGHT THING in any situation, I expect that He beams from ear to ear with pride and joy about His kids!

Proverbs 20:7 “The one who lives with integrity is righteous; his children who come after him will be happy.”

Character is Doing the Right Thing -- When No One is Looking

Character is doing the RIGHT THING – when no one is looking. You know – putting the grocery cart in the stall instead of just leaving it in a parking space, or putting the lettuce back in the produce department instead of conveniently slipping it in the laundry detergent department. Our logic says “After all, those store clerks are paid to put stuff back where it belongs”. Or, how about the extra change that we received from the cashier and telling her she overpaid you? Or, how about the items in our grocery cart that we weren’t charged for, and taking the time to go back into the store to pay for them?

What are the life rules that we play by? The ones that are just obvious because “they’re the rules”, or, though inconvenienced, the ones that are simply just the right thing to do? I think about our kids and grandkids that watch our every move and, quite frankly, they pay more attention to what we do rather than what we say. When we, on purpose, are people of honor, integrity, character, sportsmanship, appreciation, and courtesy, we are demonstrating the lessons of life, and quite frankly, rules won’t even be necessary. As I’m typing this, I’m thinking about a Sunday School song that I sang as a kid. If we lived our lives with these words, and with the "What Would Jesus Do?" (WWJD) state of mind and state of actions……we would be known by others, and God, as men and women of great character.

O be careful little eyes what you see
There's a Father up above, and He's looking down in love
So, be careful little eyes what you see

And, replace the first line above with these:

O be careful little ears what you hear.......
O be careful little hands what you do.......
O be careful little feet where you go........
O be careful little mouth what you say....