Letting the Whole World Know

We are seizing so many opportunities to share good news via technology. We sure need that good news! Facebook and FB Live, YouTube videos, teleconferencing, Instagram and other forms of communicating hope-filled messaging. Before the internet and social media, many of us Jesus followers were quite reclusive. Our faith stayed at home. Jesus “talk” was easy there. We’d pray around the dinner table or at bedtime for typical family needs. It was faith between us four and no more.

But, HELLO, 2020! Who would have thought, way back when, that we would, one day, be visually interacting with people around the world without leaving the comfort of our homes? We are seizing these opportunities to live our faith outloud online before countless numbers of people. Not to mention, when all doors closed for worship in our churches, that we could worship with our churches online. We are sharing great faith videos and images that encourage and build up each other. We've realized that we ARE the church to our world.

We have become evangelists and have been unleashed to spread the good news from behind a computer or a cell phone. I see you. You know who you are. You are the ones who share scriptures, prayers, quotes and videos bearing faith-filled and hope-filled messages.

When Jesus said in John 14:12, “And greater works than these (the works that He performed) will you do….”, He was foretelling about what we could accomplish. It is time for us to raise our voices even louder. As children of God, we are family! It’s time to keep putting faith-building, fear-destroying words out there. We never know whose life we might impact because of something we posted on social media. There is so much power in our words. When we change our words from complaining, whining, blaming or criticizing to faith-filled, encouraging, loving and caring words, we change our world.

Let’s be billboards that make God famous. We are missionaries because we are on a mission. We have been sent. We were sent the second the first spark of life flickered in our mother’s womb and now to wherever we are today and to whoever crosses our paths – via the street or the internet!

When we read Jesus words in Mark 16:15 to "Go into all the world and preach the good news", little did we realize we could do it right from the comfort of our homes. So, let's preach that good news today! So many need to hear it!

Living Like There’s No Tomorrow

I know that’s easy for me to say. I’ve long passed raising a family, working a full-time job and lots of other responsibilities. But having the grands with me has sure reminded me of what it takes to feed, nurture, wash their clothes, plan their days and activities, and keep them busy enough to not be glued to their phones social media and gaming. It’s a work-out and I feel you, moms and dads. I once was there right with you. Well, maybe not with the cell phone activities, but I did know it was a work out to keep them entertained. I don’t ever hear: “I’m so bored” these days, like I heard when raising my children. There are so many options when traveling or just waiting for us.

Still, as long as I have these grandchildren with me, I’m “living like there’s no tomorrow”! Making memories, being silly, playing games, eating at their favorite restaurants, cooking their favorite meals, etc. I’ll admit I’m running out of options so those phones come in handy when I’m writing my next day’s blog.

The boys wanted me to see the new Spiderman and so we went on Saturday. Confession: I’m a Spiderman fan. I like his youth and innocence, his courage and the fact that a youth is the superhero. Spoiler Alert – if you haven’t seen it yet (and, believe me, it’s worth seeing)! Spider Man and his high school buddies do some major globe-hopping. They make it to Venice and I recall the precious memory of my husband and I celebrating our 40th wedding anniversary there. Riding in a gondola (like Spiderman and his buddies), we called home to our children. Another scene was in Berlin and a flashback came of us with our backpacks traveling via ferry, taxi on the autobahn, and the train and into Berlin (one of our rare “flying by the seat of our pants” adventure). Another scene was in Holland and I recalled to the boys that I was there with my friends at the Tulip Festival.

I titled this blog “Living Like There is No Tomorrow” and I realize that I/we have done that – in the meager times when we’d go camping in tents, roasting marshmallows and fishing with our young children to make memories and moments count. The trip to Sweden, Denmark and Germany came as a result of my husband winning an 8-day all-expense-paid trip – a true blessing from God and my husband’s winning putt at an LPGA tournament contest. We lived like there was no tomorrow by being willing to back-pack to places we had never been before and my trip to Holland was an adventure with friends.

Having this precious time with my grandchildren is a change from my normal and comfortable routine, but living like there is no tomorrow means making every minute count in this day. I’m doing that today. We are heading back to Austin to spend several days celebrating my son’s birthday. We will laugh, eat, reminisce and celebrate his life. We’ll live and celebrate like there is no tomorrow. That's just the way our family rolls.

My encouragement to you is to join me in living like there is no tomorrow. Maybe, not so much with the need to travel to distant locations, but to live with no regrets. Live now like there is no tomorrow. Rick Warren’s book “The Purpose Driven Life: What on Earth Am I Here For?” explains that we have no guarantee of tomorrow because we don't know when it’s time for us to leave earth. We are famous for postponing things where we shouldn't. Our schedules may be busy, but making time for things and people that matter – in the light of eternity.

Today’s blog motive is an encouragement to us to live everyday like there's no tomorrow. Tomorrow just may not come – it didn’t for my sweet grandfather who went to bed beside his beloved wife and never woke up. It didn’t for those in the Twin Towers on 9/11 who went to their routine job and never saw another day. Don’t postpone anything, do it now. Don’t stress over little or big things – like my guest bathroom toilet overflowing yesterday. Breathe, get the plunger, clean up the mess... and let it go. Choose love over anger and hate. Spend time with God – getting right with Him – settling once and for all “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Since God is in control, and we’re not – we can make choices to be happy, to smile, laugh, use wisdom when we speak, and answer with love. Living this day and every day like there is no tomorrow.

To Err is Human.....But Who Likes Making Mistakes?

I spend many hours of my day at my computer; typing my daily posts, providing technical editing for other writers and giving encouragement to friends on social media. With all that typing, editing and publishing, I installed a writing app called "Grammarly". Grammarly's app makes sure my messages, documents, and social media posts are clear and mistake-free. The app highlights the incorrect spelling or punctuation and I just tap on it, and whoa la -- everything is corrected. Within seconds, I've made my corrections and I'm good to go. What a blessing it is, considering the old days when we used a manual or electric typewriter. If we made mistakes with our typing then, we used correcting paper or correcting ink. It was laborious, and often difficult to make corrections if a space was needed between words. Whew! We've come a long way, Baby!

And isn’t that true in our lives, as well? As much as we try to do better, it seems our nature is prone to emotional, physical and spiritual mistakes. Maybe it has to do with the company we're keeping, some unhealthy habits, some compromising of our ethics and integrity, or literally missing the mark. Little mistakes can really slow us down and even limit some of the blessings God wants to give us. I remember back in my early learning-to-type days when I made so many mistakes because I wasn't focusing or I was concentrating more on speed than being mistake-free. Now, at this stage of my life, I really want to be as mistake-free as possible, but like what I heard someone say "I do really well with living mistake-free, but then I get out of bed and meet up with people, and then I need the "correcting fluid" to clean up my mistakes.

I was being challenged by my own post by purposing to live a mistake-free life. I know that's just not possible. As long as we're in these earth suits, we'll be prone to missing the mark. But here's the good news: God is so quick to forgive us when we come to Him, and like the "correcting fluid" I used, "Wite-Out", God applies His "white-out" to our mistakes and not only covers them, but He makes us white as snow. "Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool." Isaiah 1:18 His forgiveness really is divine.

I've come to know that focusing my attention on getting it right in my heart, attitude and life makes for a beautiful page in this chapter and book of my life. My daily prayers are “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 and "Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O God!" Psalm 19:4

Jesus Loves Me – This I Know!

Life happens. You hit and fractured your toes when you ran into the end of the door and have to go to the ER. You were attacked by woman-sucking mosquitoes and now you must carry an anti-itch “After Bite” oil for relief. You have to call an Exterminator to get rid of the pests. A pre-cancerous area on your leg has to be removed by the dermatologist. Your garage door didn’t close because it came off the chain. You thought it closed behind you, but didn't. Your neighbor tried to close it for you and your home alarm goes off and you don’t get the call from the alarm service so the police are summoned. You lose your key fob and have to replace it. You forget the tickets you printed out to a very important event. A crazy looking bump shows up on your foot and a big red blotch shows up on your leg. Your washing machine is making squealing noises. All of that happened within a week.to ME!

But…..Jesus loves me – this I KNOW! God is always there to tap me on the shoulder and give me His gentle reminder, deep within my soul, in spite of my "issues". "Jesus Loves Me” -- that simple little song that I learned many years ago in Sunday School is so very simple, yet so powerfully profound. That one statement grounds me in the truth of who God says I am and the best news is it’s not based on how well I perform or what I look like or what concerns me. The Awesome Creator of heaven and earth AND me, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, the Great “I Am” loves ME!

No question -- we really won’t feel accepted all the time. “Likes and Loves” on our Facebook or Instagram page will never truly make us feel secure. Life is full of surprises -- good and not so good. Life happens and "issues" occur. Having lots of friends and family around us doesn’t mean that we won’t sometimes feel lonely. And chocolate ice cream, as much as I love it, doesn’t satisfy the longings of my soul. There is no person, no diploma or award, or pats on the back that can fix us from the outside when we need to be rewired with fully knowing and embracing….Jesus loves me this I know. Only God can do that.

When my world gets topsy turvy and it seems I’m in the spin cycle of my dryer (which is over 25 years old and I pray it keeps spinning a while longer), I turn to the ONE sure constant that is never questionable. He is my Everlasting, Prince of Peace, Emmanuel — God with us. I draw close to Him so He can separate His solid truth from the shifting emotions and concerns that face me daily.

When life happens, I can choose to let it overwhelm me and perplex me, or I can recall that sweet song once again – “Jesus loves me, this I know”. We are so dearly loved by God. His love causes us to release our woes and cares to Him, and in turn display compassion, kindness and patience even when we don’t feel like it, to someone else. Colossians 3:12, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience”. When we do that, then the Jesus in us will cause others to start to sing “Jesus loves me this I know.”

Jesus really does love us. The Bible tells us so. Little (and big) ones to Him belong. They are weak but He is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.

“The LORD has appeared of old to me, saying, Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn you.” Jeremiah 31:3

Excuse Me....Could I Have Your Undivided Attention Please?

Excuse Me....Could I Have Your Undivided Attention Please?
These days, it's almost impossible to have a meal or a focused conversation with someone without being interrupted by a phone call or text message. How does it make you feel to be having a nice conversation with someone, and then THEIR phone rings or dings that indicates a text message coming through, AND, without even a second thought, they leave you hanging while they answer their phone or text message? Ugh! And how do you feel if you're sitting at the dinner table with others and instead of carrying on conversation with you, you seem to be the only one at attention because the others are all checking their Facebook, Instagram or emails?

Okay, I'll admit it. I've been on both sides....the one singing "All By Myself" while others were heads down in their phones, AND I've been the one with my head down in MY phone. What in the world? Where did our respect for others and being laser focused on others in their presence go? I'm ashamed of us!! It's time for putting those phones in another room or turning them off so we can get back to what's REALLY important -- being a sincere, caring, and respectful friend and family member. It's like going into a store -- you made the effort to go to the store and BE THERE, when the store's phone rings, and the sales clerk answers it and carries on a conversation with them, instead of honoring the fact that YOU ARE THERE!

The point was made ever so profoundly yesterday morning as I sat on my friend's lovely screened-in porch that overlooks the beautiful pond and fountain, sipping my coffee, worshipping and praising my Lord as I read my devotion book and scriptures, WHEN.....my phone dinged, alerting me to check out who just left a text message for me. After all, it could be the plumber, the friend that's coming over later today, or one of my children or grandchildren needing me. Right? Oh, so WRONG! I was fully engaged in conversation with my Heavenly Father, Maker of Heaven and Earth, My Creator, My Savior Who Gave His life for me, My Confidant, Healer and the King of all Kings....and I let myself be interrupted. Oh, and to make matters worse....while I was checking that ding, I just had to check my Facebook account and any emails that may have come in. Are you kidding ME? How could I be so inconsiderate? How could I be so unthoughtful? Suddenly, I was well aware of how rude and disrepectful I have been. Immediately, I heard God's tender and loving words "Heaven to Donna!!!! Could I have your undivided attention please?" While begging for forgiveness, I took the phone into the house and then went back to my Welcomed Guest and resumed my one-on-one with The Almighty! My goodness!

So let's do a Where's Waldo?" search. Where is the object in this photo that is used by the enemy to steal my alone time with my Best Friend, Father and my CEO? Oh, there it is.....smack dab in the middle.....instead of AWAY from being a distraction to my one-on-one time with my ROYAL guest. Jesus sat the example for us in Mark 1:35-36 "And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, He departed and went out to a DESOLATE PLACE, and there He prayed."

Patience is a Virtue

Patience is a Virtue
I saw this Instagram post and photo a few days ago and I was inspired -- so much so that I'm posting about it here today.

"It all started with one baby camel. Three years later, globe-trotting adventure photographer Allan Dixon continues to take selfies with wildlife, sometimes relaxing with them for hours before a photo is taken. “Patience is key in getting so close,” Allan explains. “I think they can sense how I feel and know I have no desire to harm them. ‘You have to be still, lie down, gain their trust in their environment for a while. Most of the time they’re more scared of you than you are of them.' Through patience and care, he’s managed to take some of the best animal selfies the world has ever seen.

His words resonated with me: "Patience is key in getting so close" and "You have to be still, lie down, gain their trust in their environment." This photographer learned the art of patience and it provided him award winning photos and notoriety. Imagine the winning conversations and situations that we could achieve by exercising that amazing quality of patience.

Allan "took the time" to win over those animals. And that time and patience paid off when it was "selfie photo time".

In this culture we live in today, we're too busy to really nurture our relationships. We give little time for real conversations with people. It's either an email or a text message. We rarely have face to face or real voice to voice interactions. We're just too impatient to spend quality time together. There are so many distractions from building true relationships. I can imagine that Allan has his phone turned off when he's patiently gaining the trust of those animals.

Maybe we're not into selfies with animals, but what about taking the time and patience to slow down from the hustle and bustle of “life” to patiently wait on God and patiently take time with His kids -- valuing the people in our lives and gaining their trust? Jesus so profoundly spoke about loving God and loving others. Mark 12:30-31 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” How can you love someone without spending time with them?

Aren't there people who need our love and attention -- people we need to spend quality time with and really nurture a relationship with in order to gain their trust? Perhaps we'd have to have a lot of patience with them because they may just not be as mature or wise or "cool" as we are, but if we give them time and gain their trust, we just may become the best friend they've been looking for, and who knows? They may become the best friend we've been praying for. And when we figure that out.....we can spend time taking selfies with each other. Surely it will be a picture that's worth a thousand words.

To Nana From Lexi

Day 171 of Photos Inspirations -- To Nana From Lexi
Returning home after a week away, I went to my desk and found this envelope with big letters: QUOTES -- OPEN AFTER Nationals -- To Nana From Lexi.

She had been here for a couple of days before heading to Nationals in MN.  She loves to hang out in my office where a lot of her creativity takes place. Usually she's drawing or working on paper creations.  When I had an electric typewriter (back in the day), she loved to create on it.  Those days are long gone with the leading edge technologies that have changed our world.  But I was quite impressed with what she did with pen and paper.  I found that she had taken the time to write quite inspiring quotes, as well as some with her "Life with Lexi" humor.

Inside the envelope were a couple dozen handwritten notes and quotes.  For example:
"I love you because you join in my weirdness."
"What if I fall?"  "Oh, but my Darling, what if you fly?"
"Sometimes you win; sometimes you learn."
"You will never know the vaue of a moment until it becomes a memory."
"You're too blessed to be stressed."
"The earth has music for those who listen." -- Shakespeare
"It's not who you are that holds you back, but who you think you're not."
And, a PERFECT "Life with Lexi" one.....
"How does NASA organize a party?"  "They PLANET!"  AhAhAhAh!!

I called her to ask where the quotes came from: "From my Pinterest page."  Oh me.  My 13-year old granddaughter does Pinterest -- something I haven't wrapped my brain around yet.  And she continues to urge me to get more involved in Instagram.  I'm still working on mastering Facebook, but I'm teachable -- Instagram will soon be another social media app that I'll adapt to.

And, finally, I asked her "Why did you take the time to write all this by hand,  put it in an envelope, and didn't want me to open it until we got back home?"  Her response...."Because I knew you would take a picture of it, post it and write a story about it."  Smart AND hilarious girl.  And, so, here's my post, and perhaps, there's something in those quotes that speaks to your heart today.  Just maybe Lexi did this for me AND you!