Petals from the Basket

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Shh….

“Be still, and know that I am God….” (Psalm 46:10, NIV)

Life lesson #427:

I’ve been looking at the blank computer screen for almost thirty minutes. Yet, I still can’t think of one intelligent thing to say or even one topic to write about today. But I still learned something in those thirty minutes:

Sometimes, we need to be silent.

To listen.

To be comfortable with the silence.

To know that in the multitude of words—spoken/written only for the sake of speaking/writing—there is great potential for unwisely spoken/written words.

So silence, listening, and  learning will come to the forefront today.

Today, I will be still and know.

 

By Petals from the Basket | May 30, 2013 | God-and-I-Time |

Windblown Words of Experience

Last evening, I enjoyed a short walk outside. It was super windy, but it was also super warm, and it felt great to get outside and move!

As I walked, the wind kept blowing my hair in my eyes—as in: constantly! It was starting to get on my last nerve to have to keep swiping my hair out of my eyes over and over and over again, when I finally decided to just tuck that strand into the hair clip that was holding the rest of my hair up in a high ponytail—problem solved. (Feel free to throw in a “duh” here if you’d like! I deserve it!) After that, I didn’t have to mess with it, and I could concentrate on just moving forward with my walk.

How many times does that annoying “strand of sin” keep doing that in my spiritual life? And when it does, what do I do about it? Here are a few personal examples of those “duh” spiritual moments from my own life:

*The secret strands of character-revealing moments: I shouldn’t be watching this program, but maybe it’ll get better. No one else even knows what I’m watching. I’m spiritually strong enough to handle this even though I wouldn’t want anyone to know I’m watching it.

Psalm 101:3 (NIV) “I will not look with approval on anything that is vile.”

*The wandering strands of uncontrolled thoughts: What if…? I’ll bet they’re…. If only I had…. Why don’t they…?

Philippians 4:8 (NIV) “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

*The pesky strands of doubt and fear: I can’t do this. There’s no way I can do this. It’s not possible for this to happen. I need help. Where can I get some help?

Psalm 28:7 (NIV) “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.”

So, when those annoying questions or temptations keep coming your way over and over and over again, use God’s Word to just stick that annoying sin in the “ponytail holder” that was there all along and keep moving forward!

By Petals from the Basket | May 29, 2013 | Bible Reading, Family |

Just around the Bend

During the four weeks of June this year, I’m going to have a weekly focus based on character qualities and actions that begin with the four letters in the word June:

J — Joyful (a very misunderstood quality and a command from God) [Saturday, June 1–Saturday, June 8]

U — Understanding (a quality that blends empathy with compassion and love) [Sunday, June 9–Saturday, June 15]

N — Nice (a quality that requires sincerity) [Sunday, June 16–Saturday, June 22]

E — Excellent (a quality that doesn’t tell us to be the best but to give our best) [Sunday, June 23–Sunday, June 30]

June is “just around the bend,” so finish strong with the month of May and then get ready for some fun, learning, and practical ways to become—or to be more: joyful, understanding, nice, and excellent!

By Petals from the Basket | May 28, 2013 | Events |

We Remember…

On this Memorial Day, please gratefully remember the fallen.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

—John McCrae, 1915

 

By Petals from the Basket | May 27, 2013 | Events |

If It Matters, Plan It!

For years now, my Sunday rituals have included about thirty minutes of review and planning. First, I look over the list from last week’s calendar: What did I accomplish? What did I do well? Where did I waste time? Where should I have taken a break? What didn’t get done that I need to do in the week ahead? What mattered? What didn’t matter? What did God teach me through all of it?

Next, I look ahead to the coming week and fill in the blanks (and purposefully leave a few blanks) on my calendar: What has to be done—with no options to the contrary? What are my scheduled appointments (including God-and-I-Time, meetings, scheduled phone calls, etc.)? What are my upcoming deadlines (for my work assignments)? What special events do I need to plan for? About what will I be able to say, “That mattered,” when I look back next week at this time? What do I want to accomplish for God this week?

I encourage you to take a minimum of fifteen minutes today to ask and answer some of those same (or similar) questions. (It’s not as long as it sounds, and it will save you that much time and more as you head into a well-planned, flexible, prayed-over week!)

Pray about it. Plan it. Pray over it. Purposefully do it. Praise God through it! —bls

 

By Petals from the Basket | May 26, 2013 | God-and-I-Time, Ideas, Organization |