Looking up

Sometimes the most beautiful sights are found when looking up. 

May your weekend find you looking Heavenward

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A Grievous Error

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Just yesterday I remarked on my tithe of 24 minutes in relation to a 24 hour day.  It sounded good...and though I claimed I had thought it through, I had not thought it through as well as I should.  In relation to mathematics,  I am not even close in reaching my goal of a tenth of my day to the Lord.  Exactly one tenth of a 24 hour day is 144  minutes...Over two hours.  But assuming God knows I have to sleep, and sleeping an average of 8 hours per night, that leaves my tithing of time to the Lord at about 96 minutes per day.  You can see my grievous mathematical error here where I am only giving 24 minutes.

My kind reader pointed out my error.  She is a lovely blogger with great messages and had no mean intent.  But, I couldn't help but feel as if I came up lacking with the Lord.  So, I thought and thought some more...after much consideration, I am amending my time with the Lord to include service to others and family.  Because when you are serving others, you ARE serving Him.  Conveniently I know I will be well over the 144 minutes OR the 96 minutes each one making me feel  much better about myself and my commitment to Him.  I will continue to give what I can in my study hours, 24 minutes...30 minutes...whatever it may be, but as long as I am pondering on Him and helping others, then I do believe I can achieve that goal quite easily.  I wanted to clarify this in the event you though my ideas enlightening and awesome and eye opening...I was wrong, wrong, wrong and stand corrected.  I am grateful for followers like YOU who love me despite my faults, short comings and mathematical errors.

And let me just say, 
it's a darn good thing I'm not a math teacher or banker!  

I've Been Thinking

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I've been thinking a lot lately about the word TITHING.  Tithes or tithing is a practice that goes back to Old Testament times.  I believe it was first mentioned in the book of Deuteronomy.  Tithing is a word that means ten or tenth.  People used to give of their flocks and fields.  Now, tithing has become more monetary.  We give often times over 10% of our income to various Charitable and Religious organizations that do much good to help the poor and those in need.  But, there is always more...

I really have been putting a lot of thought into this.  There is more that I can give;  I can give of my time.  There are 24 hours in a day, one tenth of that is 24 minutes.  I've been trying to give the Lord 24 minutes, bare minimum, out of the day.  This means that I spend at least 24 minutes reading scripture, pondering and praying.  This doesn't count time spent in service to others, just spending time with Him.

In a world filled with entertainment...movies, books, tv, internet, BLOGS, putting Him first has become increasingly important in my life.  A little time in the morning sets the tone for the rest of the day.  If He only asks for a tenth, twenty-four minutes doesn't really seem that much to give.

Read an update to my post here.   

Not of the World

How do we live in this chaotic world but not become?  How do I stay true to Him in all I do and say while living in this increasingly immoral world.  Worldly influence is all around us...it is in the advertising, tv, movies, books, school and work.

Teaching a group of girls ages 12-18 recently taught me how difficult it is to be a follower of Christ during these times...living a Holier life.  We can be an influence for good in how we act, talk, dress and serve...Basically in all we do...while still protecting our very soul.

1. Pray to the Father daily
2. Read his good Word 
3. Become convicted with a strong testimony of Christ
4. Stand in Holy Place
5. Let our light shine that others may see Christ through our words and actions
6. Never give up!

As I taught the girls these key points to protect themselves, I reiterated that they are not alone.  Of course, we always have our Savior, Jesus Christ, He won't leave us.  But, we are not standing alone even though sometimes it feels that way.  There are many of us with similar values, hopes and dreams that are searching and looking for each other.  As we find each other, set our petty differences aside and stand together, we can be mighty unto God.  

Have I Done Any Good?

In keeping with lasts week theme of the Kindness Experiment and in serving others, I was totally inspired by this song.  I couldn't have been more inspiring than these two beautiful singers, Carmen Rasmussen Herbert & Alex Boye.  If you want to skip right to the music video portion skip ahead to 2:42, and then go out and do some good.

Choose Joy

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"The pursuit of happiness is a matter of choice...

it is a positive attitude we choose to express.  

It is not a gift delivered to our door each morning, 

nor does it come through the window.  

And it is certain that our circumstances are not the things that make us joyful.  

If we wait for them to get just right, 

we will never laugh again"

~Charles R. Swindoll~

Today I am inspired by this woman, who despite her circumstances, 

always chose joy.  

What an uplifting example!

Who inspires you?

(Consider turning down my music player to watch)