Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

[Diplomat]

As with the Parts I-V, this thread is not about discussions, but rather the posting of any inspirational piece - a poem, a verse, a paragraph from a book, sayings - that you may have found personally encouraging, and wish to share with other members.

Amidst the hustle and bustle of the day, we all could use a moment of quiet reflection to regain our balance, and the restoration of our inner peace.

Please see links below for previous "Take 5" threads:

Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection...

Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection II

Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection III

Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection IV

Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection V

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

I posted this in one of Take 5 threads months ago and it was sent to me by a friend today. Worth repeating.

In perspective:

When something goes wrong, even when several things go wrong at once, there are still many more things that continue to go right for you. One of the best ways to deal with any trouble in your life is to put it into perspective.

It's easy to put all of your focus on the problems because they often scream for attention. Yet no matter how intensely the problems assert themselves, you always have the power to put them in perspective.

Use the magnificent power of your mind to visualize all the many treasures and blessings in your life. When compared to all the good things, the problems will not be so overwhelming.

And when your mind is no longer overwhelmed with the problems of the moment, you begin to gain real power over those problems. By putting them into perspective, you put your problems at a distinct disadvantage.

It's common to respond to a sudden difficulty with shock, anger, frustration, dismay and a whole host of other negative emotions. Yet imagine what would happen if you were to respond with gratitude, not gratitude for the problem itself but rather for all the good things still present in your life.

With gratitude, your energy suddenly shifts in a very positive direction. With gratitude, what once seemed overwhelming becomes something you can confidently handle.

Decide to put your problems in perspective, and you'll find everything you need to get beyond them.

---Ralph Marston

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

God's Faithfulness...

Regardless of circumstances and how feel, hang on to God's unchanging character. Circumstances cannot change the character of God.

--- Rick Warren

"Never doubt in the darkness what God told you in the light."

--- V. Raymond Edman

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

Trusting God...

"Trusting God completely means having faith that he knows what is best for your life. You expect him to keep his promises, help you with problems, and do the impossible when necessary. ... God doesn't owe you an explanation or reason for everything he asks you to do. Understanding can wait, but obedience can't. Instant obedience will teach you more about God than a lifetime of Bible discussions. In fact, you will never understand some commands until you obey them first. Obedience unlocks understanding. Often we try to offer God partial obedience. We want to pick and choose the commands we like and obey those on while ignoring the ones we think are unreasonable, difficult, expensive, or unpopular...Yet partial obedience is disobedience. Wholehearted obedience is done joyfully, with enthusiasm. ... You won't surrender to God unless you can trust him, but you cannot trust him until you know him better."

-- Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, pp.71,72,78

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

Originally posted by CEW:
[qb] Trusting God...

"Trusting God completely means having faith that he knows what is best for your life. You expect him to keep his promises, help you with problems, and do the impossible when necessary. ... God doesn't owe you an explanation or reason for everything he asks you to do. Understanding can wait, but obedience can't. Instant obedience will teach you more about God than a lifetime of Bible discussions. In fact, you will never understand some commands until you obey them first. Obedience unlocks understanding. Often we try to offer God partial obedience. We want to pick and choose the commands we like and obey those on while ignoring the ones we think are unreasonable, difficult, expensive, or unpopular...Yet partial obedience is disobedience. Wholehearted obedience is done joyfully, with enthusiasm. ... You won't surrender to God unless you can trust him, but you cannot trust him until you know him better."

-- Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life, pp.71,72,78 [/qb]

I know this is not a discussion thread but I have to add, I am on the phone right now having this same discussion with a friend. I'll take this as confirmation. Wow.

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

Why should God give you another day if you're going to waste it?

--- Rick Warren.

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

Building Intimacy With God
GENESIS 16:1-17:8

Intimacy with God doesn't just happen. It requires determination and a significant investment of time and effort. As we seek closeness with Him, we must learn:

• Conflict Resolution
In human disputes, there is usually error on both sides. But if we find ourselves in conflict with God, then we know we are in the wrong; the Lord is always right. When Abraham fathered a child by Hagar, there was great strife in his home. God kept His promise to make Abraham a father of many nations but did not lift the multi-generational discord that resulted from his actions.


Trust—Intimacy grows only in an atmosphere of trust. As we understand God's character more, our confidence grows, and we are drawn closer to Him. Our part is to show ourselves trustworthy.

Risk Taking—The more we reveal who we are in Jesus Christ, the more we risk facing arguments, experiencing rejection, or being misunderstood. But God understands us fully and promises that we belong to Him forever. (John 10:27-29) And any disagreements with Him can be resolved by yielding our desires, seeking His viewpoint, and asking for deeper faith.

Agreement—For us to maintain a close affinity with God, our schedule and plans must reflect His priorities. We are to be available for His use and open to His directions.

God designed us for intimacy with Him. All that He requires is our presence and cooperation. What priority have you placed on building a deeper relationship with Him?

--Early Lights Daily Devotional...In Touch

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI



Wonderful love that rescued me, sunk deep in sin,
Guilty and vile as I could be--no hope within;
When every ray of light had fled, O glorious day!
Raising my soul from out the dead, love found a way.

Love found a way, to redeem my soul,
Love found a way, that could make me whole.
Love sent my Lord to the cross of shame,
Love found a way, O praise His holy Name!

Love brought my Savior here to die on Calvary,
For such a sinful wretch as I, how can it be?
Love bridged the gulf 'twixt me and heav'n, taught me to pray,
I am redeemed, set free, forgiv'n, love found a way.

Love found a way, to redeem my soul,
Love found a way, that could make me whole.
Love sent my Lord to the cross of shame,
Love found a way, O praise His holy Name!

Love opened wide the gates of light to heav'n's domain,
Where in eternal power and might Jesus shall reign.
Love lifted me from depths of woe to endless day,
There was no help in earth below; love found a way.

Love found a way, to redeem my soul,
Love found a way, that could make me whole.
Love sent my Lord to the cross of shame,
Love found a way, O praise His holy Name!

From Bless The Day

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

A Time for Everything...

For everything there is a season,
And a time for every matter under heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die;
A time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal;
A time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh;
A time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to throw away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
A time to embrace, And a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to seek, and a time to lose;
A time to keep, and a time to throw away;
A time to tear, and a time to sew;
A time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate,
A time for war, and a time for peace.

--- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

Sometimes

Sometimes even the best of us get stressed out.
Sometimes we could all use a break.
Sometimes laughter can solve the problem.
Sometimes a light heart can save the day.
Sometimes a carefree attitude can free the soul.
Sometimes a smile can warm the coldest of hearts.
Sometimes the right words can change the situation.
Sometimes it's just not enough...
Sometimes there's nothing you can do.

Sometimes you just have to pray.


Always.....
~ God will listen!! ~

Bless The Day

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

STAYING COMMITTED EVEN IN SICKNESS

"Marriage includes cacti as well as roses, rough times as well as good times, tears as well as laughter and shadows as well as sunshine. However, self-sacrificing love for one another will carry a husband and wife through every trial and reflect Christ's love for His Bride, the Church" (Jim Dyet).

So often when we marry we don't realize that severe illness will come upon our lives together. And when it does, and it's severe and long-lasting we're not sure we can continue in our commitment to each other.

When illness becomes a part of your marriage (which it will inevitably will, in some form or the other), we pray that you'll be able to find the help you need to be there for each other so you can live out the promises you made to each other and to God to "love, honor, and cherish" in health as well as in sickness. As Marlene Bagnull—the editor of the book "For Better, For Worse" said, "The temptation to put our own spin on the promises we made is always present.

• To have and to hold... and to control.
• For better or worse... as long as there's more better than worse.
• For richer or poorer... but love doesn't pay the bills!
• In sickness and health... but I didn't sign on to be a doctor or nurse.
• Forsaking all others... but can't I at least look?
• To love and to cherish... when that's how my mate treats me!
• Till death do us part... You mean there's no escape clause?

Today some couples do write their own vows, but the key word commitment, may not be included or taken seriously. After all, we live in a free country and we have a "right" to be happy. But marriage is about so much more than 'living happily ever after'. You can read more about this in the book mentioned below.

With this said, we'd like to share with you the following article which came from the book, "For Better, For Worse" compiled and edited by Marlene Bagnull. The following excerpt was titled, "In Sickness" by Jana Carman":

The bride looked startled as she opened my shower gift. Tucked in a plastic box were a thermometer, a box of bandages, a tube of burn ointment, a sickroom bell, aspirin and several medicine cabinet kinds of things that every household needs sooner or later.

"Love is not always glamorous, but it will help you get to the bathroom when you're sick," Helen Woodhall wrote in an open letter to her granddaughter in Guideposts magazine. It also helps you mop up when someone doesn't make it there in time, or go out in the middle of the night for cough medicine, or change bandages or sheets again and again.

Most of us going into marriage have had no worse ailment than a broken bone or a bad case of the flu. Serious illness or injury is something that happens to other people. It never occurred to me that our family would experience the heartbreak and upheaval of mental illness, yet over a period of fifteen years we coped with four separate hospitalizations for extended times.

Sometimes coped was barely the word. Each time John and I suffered together as his depression became more severe. Each time the agonizing decision to go back to the hospital had to be made—or was made for us by a crisis. And each time we struggled together as John climbed that steep hill back to health.

It was during one of the crisis times that I leaned against my father and cried, "Daddy, I don't know how I can take any more."

He may have felt like he was mouthing an empty cliche, but he said what I needed: "Take it one day at a time."

Someone has said that none of us can carry a lifetime's burden, but we can each carry this hour's worth. "Your strength will equal your days" (Deuteronomy 33:25).

O Lord, You alone are my strength. Pick me up when I collapse. Comfort me in pain. Carry me in weakness. Infuse me with Your power to go on. Thank You for staying close. Amen.

Source

[Guest]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

Regardless of how loudly God speaks, we won't hear unless listening is a priority. We must ask Him to teach us to hear and then work at having a quiet attitude. An internal "receiver" tuned to the Father develops only through committed prayer, meditation, and practice at listening. In addition, we need a spirit of submission to obey the commands He gives.

Excerpt: Early Lights Daily Devotional

[Diplomat]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

MERCY SAID NO
As sung by Cece Winans

I was just a child, when I felt the Savior leading
I was drawn to what I could not understand
And for the cause of Christ, I have spent my days believing
That what He'd have me be, who I am
As I've come to see the weaker side of me
I realize His grace is what I'll need
When sin demanded justice for my soul

Mercy said no
I'm not going to let you go
I'm not going to let you slip away
You don't have to be afraid
Mercy said no
Sin will never take control
Life and death stood face to face
Darkness tried to steal my heart away
Thank You Jesus, Mercy said no

For God so loved the world, that He sent His son to save us
From the cross He built a bridge to set us free
Oh, but deep within our hearts, there is still a war that rages
And makes a sacrifice so hard to see
As midnight fell upon the crucifixion day
The light of hope seemed oh so far away
As evil tried to stop redemption's flow

(Bridge)
And now when heaven looks at me
It's through the blood of Jesus
Reminding me of one day long ago

---

Thank God! [img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]ray:

[BakYaSoh]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water;
But, for attacking the hard and strong, there is nothing like it!
For nothing can take its place.
That the weak overcomes the strong, and the soft overcomes the hard,
This is something known by all, but practised by none.

Therefore, the Sage says:
To receive the dirt of a country is to be the lord of its soil-shrines.
To bear the calamities of a country is to be the prince of the world.
Indeed, Truth sounds like its opposite!

- Verse 78 of the "Tao Teh Ching" by Lao Tzu

[BakYaSoh]

Re: Take 5 - A Moment of Reflection VI

I have yet to meet a man fond of living Manhood-at-its-best or a man who disliked a lower degree of manhood. The one fond of living Manhood-at-its-best would prefer nothing else to it. The one who disliked a lower degree of manhood would be living Manhood-at-its-best; he would not let appear in his person anything that was not Manhood-at-its-best. Is anyone able for one day to give all his energies to living Manhood-at-its-best? I have never seen anyone who lacked the necessary energy. Perhaps there is someone so weak, but I have never met him.

- Confucius