The Doorway We Choose is in Our Control

Oh. My. Goodness. I’m so done to listening to all the rancor that goes on in social media and the tv/online news reporting agencies. Honestly, I don’t understand how people can be so caught up in such negativity as an investigator or a reporter. How their minds must swirl with “He said. She said. They did.” How they might have trouble sleeping at night as they conjure up ways to get the next most negative news they can find. Oh, I know, in many cases – some look for great, upbeat, and positive news angles. But, in either case -- that’s the doorway they chose to walk through. They chose the good – the bad – or the ugly door and they live on that side of the doorway daily.

Now, that I’m back into my real world at home where I daily make decisions about how my day will go, I’m discovering what doorway I should walk through at any given time -- meditating on what’s good or what’s negative. I’m finding myself watching some social media videos and posts to bring me up to speed on what’s going on in our world. But, I keep hearing these words: “Choose you this day who you will serve” and I know it is about lending my eyes and my ears to the latest gossip and news or lending my eyes and ears to what God wants me to see and hear in this day. Remember St. Paul’s spiritually-elevating words in Philippians 4:8? “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, THINK on these things.” That, my friends, is a great doorway to walk and think through.

Joshua in the Old Testament gave powerful words of choice to the Israelites right after they conquered and took Canaan. He put a choice before them -- whether they would serve the Lord or not. “Choose this day whom you will serve…..as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15. The same choice is set before each one of us each day. The choice is up to us. God will not coerce us into serving Him. It is our daily responsibility to choose the doorways of life. Jesus came to give us an abundant life – but if we choose to listen to lies and the evil-workings of the enemy, we’re choosing death instead of life.

Proverbs 4:23 says: “More than anything guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.” We can control the doorway to what we’re going to allow in. We can dwell on every negative thing people have said, every derogatory comment, or we can choose to delete it and dwell on what God says about us.

Let's shut the door on the enemy of our souls who keeps trying to get us to choose the doorway of defeat, fear, and anger! We are winners -- the enemy is the loser! Let’s shut the door on the enemy and choose the doorway of abundant life!

Homeward Bound

On Thursday, at 7 am, I am walking with my earbuds in, and Chris Tomlin’s song “Home” comes on from my playlist. As I hear the words, I think about my dear friend's dad who is lingering in his final hours of life. I tear up because I just imagine that those words must be his words this morning. He had already said “I want to go home!” to his family earlier in the week. I stop to send the song to my friend with these words "For your daddy and you this morning, sweet girl. Love you so much. "Home" by Chris Tomlin. Praying for you all this morning. God is with you so strong. I just know it." At 9:30 am, I receive this text from my friend: “He just passed into paradise!”

The day after, Friday, my usual flow of ideas for my blog isn't coming as readily as usual. I have nada – nothing, but I know to hang in there because soon it will come. It does. “Homeward bound” pops into my head. This day, "homeward bound" can only mean one thing. Since I'm at home in Frisco, it must reference the day before, when my precious friend replied to my text that I sent to her while on my morning walk.

I sent the song onto my sis-in-law because Mom’s 94-year-old sister, and Mom, 97-years-old, keep saying those words, “I want to go home!” In fact, on a recent phone call from Mom to Auntie Alma – they both said, “Let’s go home together!” Perhaps you have a loved one, or even yourself who has a longing for "home", too. This song will bless you. Here’s the link, followed by the lyrics. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YIb4NC5ikYo

"This world is not what it was meant to be /
All this pain, all this suffering /
There's a better place waiting for me / In Heaven
Every tear will be wiped away / Every sorrow and sin erased /
We'll dance on seas of amazing grace / In Heaven / In Heaven

I'm goin' home / Where the streets are golden / Every chain is broken / Oh I wanna go / Oh I wanna go / Home
Where every fear is gone / I'm in your open arms /
Where I belong / Home

Lay down my burdens, I lay down my past /
I run to Jesus, no turning back /
Thank God Almighty, I'll be free at last / In Heaven / In Heaven
Blinded eyes / Will finally see /
The dead will rise / On the shores of eternity /
The trump will sound / The angels will sing /
Hallelujah, Hallelujah"

Home-goings are like a double-edged sword – we ache at the thought of a loved one apart from us, yet, oh the joy we have that they, as a child of God, are in heaven and our parting is just temporary. One day we’ll be back together again for a joyous celebration of being "home" forever.

When I think about my friend's sweet daddy, my husband, my parents, grandparents, all my siblings who have gone “home” and Mom and Auntie Alma who want to go “home”, I think about the joy and celebrating we’ll have together in heaven.

As Chris Tomlin says in his song, this world really is filled with so much suffering, so much pain, so much sorrow and so much fear. But, the beauty that this song points to is that one day Jesus is going to make it all right. God will make all things new and all our tears will be wiped away. No more sin. No more sorrow. Chains will be broken off! How amazing! The fact is -- for those of us who know Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are already living eternal life -- as we'll just step through the doorway to our home sweet home one day.

Rick Warren says: “Here’s what I know -- the tears that dampen our eyes in times of mourning, are tears of homesickness, tears of longing for our loved ones. But it is we who are away from home, not they! Death has been for them a doorway to an eternal home. They are still with us, lovingly and tenderly waiting for the day when we, too, will enter the doorway of our eternal home. For us who believe, death is a preparation for eternal union with those we love, in the peace and joy of heaven. We were made for heaven. We were made to last forever.”

So, while we are still on this side of heaven.....let’s continue to finish our assignments well and live every day in the light of eternity -- enroute to our heavenly home. We are homeward bound! Let's plan to meet up there!

Shut the Front Door!

"Sticks & stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!" We've said that, but we didn't mean it. Some words DID and DO hurt us! Someone spoke negatively about us when we gave something our all, or someone spoke ugly about one of our kids or family members. Or our mind is playing the same old record: “You’re not good enough. You’re not pretty or handsome enough. You're not slim enough. You’re not smart enough.” But we don't have to accept those words or let them into the doorway of our hearts and minds. We can close and lock those doors.

We have the opportunity every day to “Shut the front door!” I heard Kristin Chenoweth, as a judge on the “So You Think You Can Dance” show, give her remarks about the exquisite and inspiring dance by a young lady. She exclaimed “Shut the front door! Shut the back door! Shut the garage door! Shut them all!”

And that’s the message I’m conveying to you AND me today. It’s time to SHUT THE DOOR to those voices – the ones that say “You might as well give up. You’re going to fail again.” And to those that whisper in your ears “You’ll never outlast this setback!” Or, “You’re getting old. All those aches and pains are just going to get worse.” Or those inner voices that taunt you and say, “Those kids of yours are the most unruly, impolite, rowdy, and uncontrollable kids on this earth.” Or, “You’re never going to get that promotion!” On and on…..those voices that continue to get louder as they scream "FAILURE" in our heads.

Proverbs 4:23 says “More than anything you guard, protect your mind, for life flows from it.” Actually, we should be guarding our minds like the army guards Fort Knox. Below the fortress-like structure of Fort Knox lies the gold vault that is protected by a blast-proof door weighing 20 tons and 21-inches thick and made of the latest torch-and-drill-resistant material. Members of the Depository staff must dial separate combinations known only to them. Beyond the main vault door, smaller compartments provide further protection. That's the protection we should be providing for what we allow in our minds.

That scripture in Proverbs tells us to guard and protect our minds. We control the doorway to what we’re going to allow in. We have the “Master” filtering codes. We can dwell on every negative thing people AND the enemy of our souls have said, every derogatory comment, or we can choose to kick it out the door, then lock the door, and dwell on what God says about us." Let’s shut the front door, the back door and ALL doors AND windows where the enemy likes to sneak in and infiltrate his lies and keeps trying to take us down with his nasty words of defeat and fear. WE ARE WINNERS -- he's the LOSER!! Now SHUT THOSE DOORS!!

You Control the Doorway

Sticks & stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!" We've said that, but did we REALLY MEAN it -- "words will never hurt me"? Actually, there have been times that words DID hurt. Someone spoke negatively about us or something we did when we gave something our all, or someone spoke ugly about one of our kids or family members. But we really don't have to accept those words or let them into the doorway of our hearts and minds.

I love what Joel Osteen said in his post yesterday....."The Scripture tells us to guard our mind. You control the doorway to what you’re going to allow in. You can dwell on every negative thing people have said, every derogatory comment, or you can choose to delete it and dwell on what God says about you." YES! I agree with Joel again! Let's hit the "DELETE" button on those words that come to us from others -- especially from the enemy of our souls that keeps trying to take us down with his nasty words of defeat and fear. WE ARE WINNERS -- he's the LOSER!! Now SHUT THAT DOOR!!