Life is Gooder

Better a little with righteousness than much gain with injustice. Proverbs 16:8 NIV

"This is gooder, I love this." One of the kids in the day care said while eating his macaroni and cheese. Instead of elbow macaroni I had Penne noodles.

Funny how a little change could make his day gooder.

Sometimes I forget to look for the gooder things. I can get so easily entangled in what I don't have or what I'm not able to do instead of looking at the big picture.

I can get hung up on the new furniture that someone was able to purchase or the lunch dates that people get to have. I especially can get stuck on when someone is able to do something that I so desperately wanted to do. Life at these times certainly doesn't feel gooder. In fact, it feels unfair.

Then somehow I get reminded that my life is gooder. I have a home with furniture or occasionally, I go on lunch dates sure it's to McDonald's and with day care kids but I'm eating out. Soon I realize that one day I will be able to accomplish what I would like to do as long as it's in God's plans.

Or I get reminded that life is gooder because the store was out of elbow macaroni and we can have special mac and cheese with Penne noodles.

Life is indeed gooder because Jesus is my Lord and Savior and with him I can accomplish so much more even if I only have a little.

Tough Decisions

Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Daniel 6:10 NIV

The email I had waited for finally arrived; attached was the new dance schedule.

A year ago I decided to take a clogging class and at first I just wanted to take it; no recital just a chance to clog again. I clogged in my teens and my daughter had taken clogging for several years, and I wanted to try it again. Finally, it was my turn! The class was on a night I could attend. Eventually, I decided to take the plunge and be in the recital. I enjoyed myself.

I had hoped that this year the dance class would be at a time when I could go. I opened the attachment and quickly found Adult Clog. My heart broke...

The class had now been moved to Wednesday nights. A choice had to be made-do I give up on the Kids Mid-Week Barefoot Club or do I give up on dance? It felt like I had to choose between God and the world (not that the dance class is worldly). The decision was clear to me. I would no longer be attending dance class.

This choice between God and the world is not a new one. Daniel had to face this choice many years ago. A decree had been issued to worship and pray to the king. Daniel knew this was wrong. He knew his God was bigger and better. He knew the consequence of his choice-to be thrown into the lions den. He chose to serve His God no matter what. Daniel was thrown into the lions den, but he was not torn to pieces. God, the one and only God, sent an angel to shut the mouths of the lions. He was saved and because he was saved a new decree was issued to worship God.

One man had the courage to stand up. My choice to serve God won't get me thrown into the lions den. In fact, I won't be punished at all. I just know for me I have to serve God where He wants me to serve. I also know that God gives us the desires of our hearts. If my desire is to clog somehow He will work it out, whether its by YouTube or some other way.

This last week I served as an Adult Volunteer at Warren Willis Camp. The theme for this year is Chosen to Love and Serve. God has chosen each of us. He loves you and He has chosen you. He loves me and He has chosen me. It was good to be reminded. I will love Him and I will serve Him wherever He calls me to go after all I am Chosen.

I'm Proud

But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15b

"The beach, let's go to the beach for Fourth of July," I suggested to my family.

The look of shock on their faces let me know that indeed I did surprised them.

"You don't like the beach," came the reply.

It's true this Florida girl does not like the beach. There's all that sand to deal with, not to mention all that salty-water that ends up in your mouth every time a wave comes by.

Years ago my aunt suggested that I not go in the water just sit on the beach. That has helped at least the sand doesn't stick to me. But it gets awful hot sitting on the beach.

The decision to go was not easy for me, but I thought it would be a nice way to spend the day together as a family. I'm very grateful for extra days off to spend together. I know the cost was great.

As we celebrated the Fourth, I hummed my favorite patriotic song "I'm Proud to be An American". It has such a great message and sums up how I feel. I'm very grateful to be living here where I'm free to serve God.

I'm even more proud though of something else. Something that's even greater than be an American.

I'm Proud to be a Christian!

I was inspired a few years ago with words to go along with Lee Greenwood's music to "I'm Proud to be An American". I have still yet to hear it song, maybe one day. Anyway here it is:

"I'm Proud to be a Christian"

If tomorrow all my sins were known

That I've hidden all my life

And I have to face the Lord without

The blood of Christ

I'd be ashamed to face him

And would turn to run away

But there's a chance to have them cleansed

And taken far away

I'm proud to be a Christian

Where at least I know I'm saved

And I won't forget the man who died

Who shed his blood for me

And I'll gladly stand up next to you

And proclaim Him still today

'Cause there ain't no doubt I love the Lord

God saves our lives today

From the star in Bethlehem

To the hills of Calvary

To a cross He died on 

For you and even me

From the little tiny baby

To one who lost his way

Well there's a chance for every heart

To accept Him here today

And I'm proud to be a Christian

Where at least I know I'm saved

And I won't forget the man who died

Who shed his blood for me

And I'll gladly stand up next to you

And proclaim Him still today

'Cause there ain't no doubt 

I love the Lord

God saves our lives today

And I'm proud to be a Christian 

Where at least I know I'm saved

And I won't forget the man who died

Who shed his blood for me

And I'll gladly stand up next to you

And proclaim Him still today

'Cause there ain't no doubt 

I love the Lord

God saved me life today

Crazy Clock

Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. Ecclesiastes 8:5 NIV

It never ceases to amaze me how many times I look at something and not realize how much I rely on it, until it stops working.

Last week was another crazy week in our home. The A/C unit decided to freeze up and trust me when I say this is not the time of year for the air conditioner to be on the fritz. Around the same time our toilet decides not to flush right. Then dry wall decided to fall from the ceiling where my husbands foot went through six months ago.  

My wonderful clock also decided now would be the time to stop working. Honestly I do not understand what is going on with this clock. A few weeks ago it decided to stop working. 

"Not to big a deal," so I thought. "Just need to change the battery." This of course took a few days. I am unable to do it since it's high on a wall, so have to wait for the tall people in my family to fix it. After a week of looking at it a hundred times and it telling me the same time; I took the fixing of the clock into my own hands. 

Stretching, barely reaching, almost falling...I manage to take the clock down. As I pull it down the nail and hook that holds it on the wall comes with it and plummets to the pile below. "Great!"

I set the clock on the table, hoping now that I've changed the battery someone else would put it back. It worked, of course the person who did it had to find the nail and hook. Yippee, my clock worked again until later that day.

We decided the only way to fix it was to get new batteries, the rechargeable's just weren't working.  After a trip to the store we had success, the clock worked again. Until this week.

Saturday the clock stopped again. Then the crazy thing got reset and is working once again, ten minutes fast mind you. The ten minutes fast have sure thrown me off too.

This has made me wonder, when do I know the proper time to do anything? I know, I know simply look at another clock.

But it goes deeper than that, when is the proper time to publish my book? When is the proper time to move ahead with the plan? When is the proper time stand up for what's right?

The only way to know for sure is to trust in God to lead us. When we obey Him and trust Him as our guide, the proper time will arrive whether clock works or not.