MEMORIALS

Today, I know of six families at least that are active military...

We also know several others that we attended church with who are still active duty.

Most are young (early twenties).....most have young families and their even younger wives are here at home with them away in war ravaged countries. Some have been to those countries several times...

One is finishing up boot camp....after pursuing a masters degree....

One mother lamented that he was going to war again in the fall...she was praying against his return...

A couple are chaplains---one going to war soon and the other here giving hope to those returning with issues and those families who lose loved ones....(these are thirty- something in age)Yes, they have families, too!

Most have families that are away from them, living in a far away state---their military family is their immediate support.

However, in all these cases, they have one thing in common---they love the Lord and look to Jesus for their life and support!!

God bless these men for serving....and giving....

TODAY I WILL AKE A DIFFERENCE

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts. A person is the product of their thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful. I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark. Today I will make a difference.

I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom. I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving. Today I will make a difference.

I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It's OK to stumble - I will get up. It's OK to fail - I will rise again. Today I will make a difference.

I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family. A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships. Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends.

Today I will make a difference.
Max Lucado

Delight and Commit

Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

I know that we all have heard this verse, repeated it to others, and even claimed it!!

But, have we used it in the right context? Have we used it as our laundry list for God...

"You see, God, I am doing good, so give me ................(fill in your blanks)..."Do we only Expect things of God, rather that giving 100%, we do the obligatory rather than the hard things just to get by!!

However, the first part of the verse commands: Delight yourself in the Lord---this not only means to be a Christian, but to have joy in the Lord.The Old Testament. Two of the most common Hebrew terms for delight are hepes [,pej], "to bend towards, to be inclined towards [an object or person], " and rasa [h'x'r], "to delight or take pleasure in."
God delights in the obedience of his children more than in sacrifices (1 Sam 15:22). Obedience to his commands so pleases God that he will prosper his people as they walk in his way.


I may be way off key, but I believe that one must find joy and contentment in the Lord, and Him alone and then, he causes us to have the desires of our hearts. (do we not often find once we get the desires of our heart it is not as we envisioned it to be??) God wants all our actions to be inclined to Him -FOR HIS GLORY!!

WE WOULD BE AMISS TO EXCLUDE THE FOLLOWING VERSE:

5: Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

If you commit, you have a 'contract' to perform as you have promised!! But, friends, sin enters daily, and we get to busy to give God His due!! He who is our reason for living surely deserves first place on our priority list.....when we trust and walk in Him, HE give us the answers and provides....

As long as we work on life's issues by ourselves, they will never work......I also believe we cannot help others God puts in our way unless we first are committed to delight ourselves in Him alone!!

Our words are void unless we put them into action!

MY GOD

MY GOD CARES

We all can repeat the verse "Casting all your care upon Him, for He careth for you"..

But, do you truly trust Him with the "little" things?? Do you believe He can take care of them...I sure am guilty of feeling I should not "bother" God with the little things, but this is how total dependence comes through trust!!

Another song comes to mind:
Cast thy burden upon the Lord
Cast thy burden upon the Lord
He will not fail you, He'll walk beside you
He'll even carry you, and sustain you...

You see there is a verse that precedes the well-known one:
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of
God, that He may exalt you in due time.Casting all your care upon Him for He careth for you."
I Peter 5:6,7

Get busy casting...and quite working things out in your flesh (yes, I address myself here also!)