The Butterfly Effect

"With a little perspective," Jones said one day, "you can live a life of permanent purpose."

When I asked what he meant, the old man answered with a question.  "Do you sometimes find yourself unconsciously judging your actions by level of importance?"  I frowned a bit, not certain I understood.  "For instance," he continued, "the time you spend with friends is important, but the time you spend with family, is more important.  You might rank an hour fishing as very important, thirty minutes visiting a sick friend in the hospital much more important than the fishing, and a sixty second conversation with a convenience store clerk as not very important at all."

I nodded my understanding and he returned to his initial point.  "When you know that everything matters -- that every move counts as much as any other -- you will begin living a life of permanent purpose.  A life of permanent purpose will make you a better parent, a better spouse and a more valuable friend.  Your productivity and financial success will soar to new heights while the old days of uncertainty, doubt, and depression fade into the past."

(from The Butterfly Effect by Andy Andrews)

Theology

"Never rewrite your theology
to accommodate a tragedy
that is going on in your life."
(Rev. John Hagee)

What is Old?

I believe Scripture teaches that humanly speaking time is nothing else than a gift of God, a precious package of life sent to us by our Heavenly Father, individually gift-wrapped and with our name on it...The last sands are dropping through the hourglass.  What will we do with the time that is left to us?
--- Sherwood Eliott Wirt
"I Don't Know What Old Is, But Old is Older Than Me"

Quote

"Christianity hasn't been tired and found wanting -- it has been found difficult and not tried."
-- G.K. Chesterton

Quote

"A woman is like a tea bag - you knever know how strong she is until she gets in hot water."
-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Quote to Ponder

"You can tell you have made God in your image when it turns out He hates the same people you do."
 - Anne Lamott

Plan B

I'm sorry I haven't been around the last few days.  Some times things just come up that you don't expect and throw your plans into disarray.  But isn't that what life is all about.

I read a quote that said, "Life is all about how you handle Plan B".

That sort of sums things up for me over the past week.

Fortunately I've been able to roll with Plan B and not freak out that Plan A didn't happen.  Maybe I am maturing and moving forward.  That is a great thought.

Doubts of Today

"The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.  Let us move forward with strong and active faith."  (Franklin D. Roosevelt)

Do you have doubts today?  Doubts about your future.  Doubts about your ability to make it through today without falling apart.  Doubts that you will find love or be loved.

Take your doubts to your heavenly Father.  He won't be angry or upset that you have doubts.  If you bring your doubts to him honestly he will help you deal with them so that you can "move forward with strong and active faith".

One thing you will never have to worry about is that God will stop loving you because you have doubts.  He loves you no matter what.

Be blessed today.

A Point to Ponder

"We're not changed by the promises we make to God, but by the promises he makes to us."  (Found in So You Don't Want to Go to Church Anymore by Wayne Jacobsen and Dave Coleman)

This sentence hit me so hard I had to stop reading for a while and just think about what was really being said and how I could and if I should apply it to my life.  This is going to take some time and effort on my part to really make this idea a part of who I am because I believe it is something God wants for me to grab hold of to help me grow spiritually.

May your day be blessed with the fullness of God.

Something to Chew On

I came across this quote from a book I read by Liberty Savard that gave me reason to stop and ponder what she was saying. I hope you are challenged to ponder it as well.

"There is a God we want, and there is a God who is. They are not the same God. The turning point of our lives is when we stop seeking the God we want and start seeking the God who is."
(The Unsurrendered Soul)

May you enjoy seeking the God who is.

Food for Thought

Watch your thoughts - they become words.

Watch your words - they become actions.

Watch your actions - they become habits.

Watch your habits - they become character.

Watch your character - for it becomes you.