Tip of the Day 5/31/12

99 Days of Summer: For many of us we have fond memories of lazy summer days spent reading stacks of books. This is still one of my favorite activities any time of year, but summer and reading just seem to go hand in hand. Most libraries sponsor a summer reading program for kids and many do for adults as well. This is always fun to participate in, but why not create your own. I choose a genre or author to read throughout the summer and choose a reward for myself when I finish my list. This is a great motivation to move out of my comfort zone or learn about a new topic. This summer I have chosen books on France and will treat myself to a French manicure at the end of the list. It works well for kids as well. They will enjoy getting to choose a new topic to read about all summer. An example for kids would be reading through the Anne of Green Gables series, then at the end of the summer host a party based on Anne's funny party hosting experience. Ask the kids for ideas and jump into some exciting adventures this summer.

Word for Today, Fulfilled: Last week I was enjoying some time just talking to the Lord praying for many of you. I was about to say amen when I felt like I was supposed to pray for my own healing of my back. I have been believing I was going to be healed, so I hadn't actually prayed for myself. As I prayed I knew beyond a doubt that God was going to heal me and my pain level went from a 8 - 10 down to about a 6 for the first time in months. Because I was feeling so much better I had to resist the temptation to overdo. (I know none of you would think I would overdo. LOL) The next morning I was scheduled to see the neurosurgeon and at the last minute he had to cancel. It was clear to me I had been trusting in the surgeon for my healing, not in the Lord. The Lord might use a surgeon or doctor for my healing, but my faith was not to be in man. During the same day a friend shared with Richard her experience with a new chiropractor and he believed I was to see him. After seeing him yesterday I believe God is using this man to bring about His promise to me for healing. God is the Great Physician and the extent of my healing is ultimately in His hands. My responsibility is to listen for his voice and follow His leading. This verse was part of my devotional reading this morning and I am so grateful God speaks when I stop to listen. "Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things which were told her from the Lord." Luke 1: 45

 

Tip of the Day 5/30/12

99 Days of Summer: One of my favorite summer memories as a child was going to the dime store, TG & Y in Tulsa, with my Nanny or Grandma Hanks and getting a new toy. One of my favorites was a new coloring book, always Barbie, and a box of crayons. That is still one of my favorite things to look at in our local dime store. Why not pick up a coloring book and crayons for yourself and remember the simple pleasure.

Word for Today, Boundaries: As parents we are often given the advice that our children want to know what the boundaries are. It makes them feel safe. We like to know what the rules are in a game and want others to obey them. Human nature leads us to push as close to the boundaries as possible. At sometime in our lives we have all considered the boundaries to be meant for someone else. Whether we agree with the rules or not does not mean we can just arbitrarily choose which ones to obey. A society without boundaries would be chaos. God has set boundaries for our lives just like any good parent does for his children. We can choose to ignore them, but in the end we will know they were for our good. There is a huge quarry near Chicago that the highway goes through the middle of. I have a friend that lived near the quarry as a child and, of course, was forbidden from going near it. Like typical kids she and her friends ignored their parents warnings and would jump the fence and see who could ride their bike as close to the edge as possible. This is such a picture of how many people live their life, as close to the edge as possible. It may not seem as exciting to live by the rules, but in the end you will be thankful for the rewards of choosing to stay within the boundaries. "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction."

 

Tip of the Day 5/29/12

Dee-Clutter Tip of the Day, 99 Days of Summer: Let's crank up the music and listen to some summertime tunes. Here are a few to get you started:
Surfin' Safari-The Beach Boys
Under the Boardwalk-The Drifters
Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay-Otis Redding
Where the Boys Are-Connie Francis
See You in September-The Tempos

What songs set your summertime state of mind? 

Word for Today, Wait: From the time we are born we are waiting for something. We wait to be old enough for kindergarten, a drivers license, to vote. Then as adults we wait for the right person to marry, the right job, the right time to buy a house or have children. We wait for the next holiday, or pay day, or a promotion. It is so easy to spend so much of our time looking toward something that we miss living today. In the Bible we are told over and over to wait, but the waiting is always for the good in our lives. At the same time we are told to be busy. Not to miss any opportunity to live, to do good, to tell others of the great joy of living a life for Christ. The lesson we learn from this is that waiting does not mean sitting and doing nothing. When the children of Israel were crossing the Jordan river to enter the Promise Land they had to wait for God to provide the way. In order for Him to provide the way they had to step into the water. Wait on the Lord and step into the water by faith to see what great things He will do. "Behold, this is our God; we have waited for Him, and He will save us."

Tip of the Day 5/26/12

Memorial Day weekend begins our celebration of summer and we usually consider Labor Day the end. We will try to cram as much fun as we can into the next 3 months. So for the next 101 days I will give you a tip each day to help celebrate the season.
Day 1: Everyone enjoys a cool summer drink and this is a perfect one for all the patriotic holidays. 1 part red punch drink (not sugar free), 1 part blue Gatorade, 1 part DIET Sprite. Layer liquids in individual clear glasses in this order. Do not stir. The punch has the highest sugar content and will remain on the bottom. Serve with a fresh strawberry slice and a mini American flag pick or red and white stripped straws. Can also be made in a pitcher or gallon dispenser, but the colors will not stay separated when poured.

Word for Today, Shepherd: Sheep are the only non-domesticated animal in need of a caretaker to survive. They do not know how to find clean water, they will eat the grass in a field until they are eating dirt, if another animal starts to attack them they will run in circles instead of trying to escape, if they fall down they can't stand back up and will die. They are helpless without a shepherd to care for them. Is it any wonder we are called sheep? We drink dirty water and eat the dirt the world offers, run around in circles looking for a way to escape the hardships we face, and when we fall down we need a helping hand to set us on our feet again. There is One who is known as the Good Shepherd who can and will do all of this and so much more for you. "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul, He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His names's sake."

 

 

Tip of the Day 5/25/12

Memorial Day weekend is finally here and many of us will be heading to the beach or pool. Hopefully the tips I have shared this week will help lead you to a more pleasant experience. One last area that I would like to mention is a dress code. You may be thinking, what?, but hear me out please. There are two forms of beach wear that really should be banned. They are the norm in Europe, but I am convinced they should be banned from public settings. I am talking about Speedos and thongs. They are scary and the image can scar you for life. Please save the world from this atrocity. Have a great time this weekend and remember to use sunscreen. :)

Word for Today, Cheap: Several years ago I was in Walmart and in need of a pair of pants for work, so I grabbed a few pair to try on. As I slipped into one I thought they felt really strange, actually like fake fabric. It was a very odd sensation and very uncomfortable. I looked at the price tag and could fully understand why they were only $4.95. We all like a great bargain, but some things are just cheap. It is worth spending more on a pair of good pants or shoes that will last a long time and are comfortable. Cheap is not always best. When it comes to investing in eternity, do you really want to settle for a cheap imitation? Yes, following Christ costs us something, but it is nothing compared to what it cost Him. Don't settle for the bargain, in the end it will cost you everything.

 

Tip of the Day 5/24/12

Contrary to popular belief, rules were not meant to be broken. Engineers study so that they can make recommendations for the maximum weight a bridge can hold or the height of a truck to go through an underpass. I trust their wisdom. What does this have to do with our beach tips this week? Lifeguards instructions and rules established for the beach are not just arbitrarily decided on to spoil your fun. When the warning flags for an undertow are ignored people drown. One of the saddest news reports we hear every summer is a teen that decided they were invincible and drowned because they jumped off the pier. This summer strive to make everyones beach experience safe and enjoyable by obeying the signs and warnings. From something as serious as the undertow warning to the sign that says, "no dogs on the beach," set a good example and have a safe experience.

Word for Today, Helper: All of us have areas in our life where we could use an extra set of hands. There are tasks that are sometimes too difficult to handle or we don't understand how to accomplish it. So, we look for someone with the strength or wisdom to help us. Over the past decade Google has become a "helper" for many of our questions. Just type in the problem and you will get dozens of answers. But what about those times when life is so overwhelming you don't even know the question to ask. Well, Google has you covered, just start typing and it will suggest questions, filling in the blanks for you. Isn't it great to know "someone" out there has your back. It is a little scary when you think about it. A fellow pastors wife once told a story that made a huge impression on me. She had imagined a conversation between God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. God the Father said He wanted to create man to have fellowship with Him, The Son said since many would reject that fellowship and gift of love He would be willing to die for man to be restored to a relationship with the Father, and the Spirit said those that did accept the relationship would need someone to help them here on earth so He would volunteer to live inside them and teach and guide them. This picture of compassion and love has always amazed me. Not only did God want me to exist, but Jesus volunteered to give up His life for me, and the Holy Spirit volunteered to help me live a life I couldn't live on my own. When I need help, I don't have to depend on Google for the answers, the Spirit knows what I need before I do. "The Helper, the Holy Spirit." "Having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise." "The Spirit helps in our weaknesses."

Tip of the Day 5/23/12

The beach and litter, two things you not only do not want to see written on a page together, but do not want to experience. It always amazes me to see someone purposely litter and walking along any beach you see evidence of this ugly practice. Not only is it gross to come upon a diaper someone has left behind, but it is dangerous to the wildlife. Birds die or are injured by litter left on the beach and stepping in someones left behind mess is unpleasant. Trash containers are located along every beach. If you can haul half your house to the beach I am pretty sure you can carry your trash to a container. This is your public service announcement for the day.

Word for Today, Words: I am a lover of books. But if all I ever do is collect books or walk through libraries, I will not benefit from the words written on the pages. I have to open the books and read tbem. Perfect days and vacations consist of endless hours reading. Each summer I choose a genre or author to spend the summer reading. One summer I read Emily Dickinson, another I read books by and about Louisa Mae Alcott, one summer I devoted to re-reading my childhood books-Nancy Drew..., I have also spent summers reading Shakespeare, biographies and autobiographies, and cookbooks. This summer I have chosen books on France. The words on the pages can provide excitement, escape, entertainment, knowledge, wonder, even wisdom, but the one thing all these books cannot provide is Life. There is a Book that can and it is the best seller of all time. However, just owning that Book will not do anything for you if it just sits on a shelf unopened. It has to be opened, read, and believed. As I was reading this morning I was struck by the power of the words used in the Bible. Words like unchangeable, uttermost, faultless, boldly, safety, strength, honor, mercy, humble, death, peace, forgiveness, grace, love. I never tire of reading these words or of the One who embodies them all. One of the first movies I remember seeing in the theater was "The Greatest Story Ever Told." The awesome thing is, unlike many of the books I have read over the years, the one I read daily changed my life for eternity. It isn't just the greatest story ever told, it contains the key to eternity.