"World"

My GOlDfish got a new home yesterday. He now has twice as much water as before. Others tell me he will grow to his new enviroment? We are anxiously waiting to see if he doubles in size or not? If we expand our world do we grow too? Do we limit ourselves to just a house and a few other places we go? I would like to believe our world can grow and we can grow with it. There are to many possibilities to even imagine. Maybe we can all grow in size, and impact. At least to honor and praise God and enhance this world we live in. Verses: 1Peter 4: 7-11 Hebrews 12: 1-3 Romans 12: 9-16

"Sister Brother"

Most of us have either a sister or brother or both. Even only children have sisters and brothers in Christ! What an awesome gift from God to be a part of such a bigger family! Our lives are fuller and more meaningful when we share with others. The support we need through lives trials comes from so many others. Words of praise, encouragement, even reprimand, are what we need to help us grow! Thank you God for providing so many sisters and brothers in our lives. Verses: Mark 3 31-35 Luke 17: 1-4 1 John 2 : 9-11 1John 4: 19-21

"Therapy"

My doctor said I need physical therapy. My body needs to heal and muscles and stuff need to get strong again. Don't we all need some kind of healing and strength building? I know how to heal my muscles, use them! So once again my bikes and I are intimate friends. The healing is in progress. Sometimes we need a different therapy. If we have had a hurt from someone or something, healing needs to take place. The greatest healer of all time is Jesus. His therapy surpasses all that humans can devise. Look up to Jesus for all the healing and therapy we need! Verses: Isa 53: 5 Ps 147: 3 Ex 15: 26

"Old Friend, New Friend"

I just made a new friend yesterday. I was with an old friend as it were. My old friend is actually older than me! My new friend is a lot newer than me! My old friend and I had not seen each other for a long time. We shared in a pasttime that we both enjoy and love to do. My new friend was doing the same thing with his father. In either case we were able to build on our individual friendships. Praise to God for all the friends in our lives. Praise to God for bringing us together! By the way, my new friend has a birthday on Sunday, he will be one year old! My old friend has birthdays too but his age is unimportant! Verses: Prov 17: 17 John 15: 9-17

"Endurance"

Sometimes things in life seem almost unbearable. I remember that in the bible it says, God won't let us suffer more that we can handle. Maybe some of us are meant to endure more than others? God knows our true heart and he also knows our strength. Keeping faith in Gods' plan is our only hope for salvation. The true believers will stick to Gods' word and follow it knowing he will be there. Verses 2Tim 2: 1-3 1Tim 6: 11-16 2Tim 2: 11-13

"After the rain"

I think we all have had an after the rain experience. It can vary for all of us. Sometimes the rain is representative of a turmoil we faced. Other times it is an actual storm and the wonderful calm that follows it. The air and stillness of the earth seem somehow better? The smells seem fresher and stronger. God would seem to use rain to wash, cleanse, and renew us with a good refreshing rain. Maybe even tears are an internal, human form of rain?, cleansing and renewing our hearts? Verses 2 Cor 4: 16-18 Matt 5: 43-48 Acts 22: 16

"Healing"

I have recently had an experience in healing. The thing is we would have to be hurt first in order to need healing. Haven't we all been hurt at some time? There are physical and emotional hurts. Healing comes from time and care. Others are usually involved in that very process. Various types of doctors, friends, and family can help us to heal. The number one healer though is God. Only God can heal us completely and without limitations. Praise God for his unlimited and complete healing qualities. Verses: Isaiah 53: 5 Prov 3: 5-8 Prov 15: 30 Psalm 147: 3

"Share"

Whenever we have a positive experience, we want to share it with others. By letting others share in our life's blessings, we enhance their lives and ours. We could also share some of our woes to another, and I am sure we all do. Then we can be supported and lifted up. Sharing our knowledge of Christ is also a way to encourage and lift others up. That is the greatest gift we can share with others. their lives can be dramatically changed with a Christ filled existence. I guess it could be called evangelism, in any case, it all allows God to be the king he is. Verses: 2 Tim 4: 1-8 Gal 6: 2&6 Heb 13: 15-16

"Abundance"

I was able to see Gods' creation in abundance yesterday. Did you ever stop and realize how many different plants there are? The variety's and colors and shapes are infinite it seems. We know there is a countable amount of people on earth, but the amount seems infinite. Gods' limits aren't our limits. There is an abundance of everything available from God. What a concept to grasp? We will never know or understand the fullness of God! We are all so blessed to see and receive a small part of his glory.( Enjoy everything God has created and respect it all). Verses: Romans 5: 17 Jude 2 Psalm 145: 3-7

"Failure"

Is anything we fail at really a failure? Maybe it is just a lesson learned? Do we take with it some new insights? Don't we eventually try again at something else? Maybe we even try again at what we failed at before? The bible is filled with times of failure. That doesn't mean they were losers. That really means they were only human. Along with failure there are times of success. God is our supply of all blessings, some may just seem better than others. All are somehow of value to us and gifts from God. Verses: Isa 51: 6 James 1: 16-18 Lam 3: 19-27

" Loss or Gain?"

In Luke 14: 25-27 Jesus tells us how to be a disciple. In Matt 10: 39 he tells us how to lose our life to find life. Seems like a contadiction of sorts? He also tells us to love him more than anyone else. The common belief is that if we truly love the Lord God with all our heart and soul , then he will bless us fully. Deut 10: 12-13 Deut 11: 13-15. The gain for all, is a life filled with God and the blessings of such a life lived.

"Marriage"

I am no expert on marriage at all. Maybe there are those out there that can have that credit? God is most qualified of course. I do know what the bible says though, Paul tells us in ( 1 Cor 7: 8-9), that if we burn with passion it is better to marry. He also tells us that we would be better off not to marry(1 Cor 7:28 & 32-35). I would understand this to be a bit of quandary.? What do we do then? Some I am sure will marry and find a great balance in a life of God and spouse. Others may find a God filled and directed life,with God as their only lover. Verse : James 4: 4-10

"People"

I came to a realization recently, " I like people". Everywhere I go I watch and observe people and I am always amazed! The kind and caring receptionist to the up and coming football star. Even the rude person now and then, God made them all and they are all here for a purpose. I suppose others may be watching me as well. I pray that what they see is inspiring and good? Pray, God help me to be one of your people and show and express Gods love! Verses: Jer 24: 7 Rev 21: 3-4

"Whose Goals ?"

Some days seem like we are busy, but accomplishing nothing? When we stop and think of what we have done it's hard to define. Maybe our actual accomplishments are not so clear? Maybe the lives we touch on those days and the impact to others is it? God uses each of us everyday, the question is, will we allow him to accomplish his goals or only our goals? Pray: God we want to be there for your desire for us and goals we accomplish, help us to fill that need each and every day. Verses: 2Cor 5: 9 Gal 3: 3-5

"Majesty"

A song line comes to mind, "Purple Mountains Majesty". Whenever we see an awesome view, we are presented with Gods' majesty. Just take a drive into the country or mountains and his majesty will be all around you. Stare at the stars and ponder what and how they can be?? Go white water rafting and experience the power of the river. Gods' creation is all around us. Gods' vision far surpasses any we can have. Then recognize that God is our majesty. No other greater majesty exists than God! Verses: Ester 1: 4 2 Peter 1: 16-18

"Labor"

God has said that man should labor many times in the bible. This is not to be understood as our jobs only. We all need to be productive in all areas of our lives. The feeling of accomplishment that comes with a job well done and the inspiration it provides are gifts from God. We all need to ask God what it is we should be laboring at ? Then we need to make the commitment and do it. Verses: 1Cor 15: 58 1Cor 3: 8-9 Php 2: 12-18

"Yesterday"

How often do we ponder yesterday? All of our past has had some significance on our present. What we have experienced, does affect what we are today. Life goes forward and the past is definitely gone. We can't go back and change anything. The bonds made are now a part of our present day. Things left behind are gone. If we hold on to something from before it can greatly affect our today. Praise God for lessons learned and wisdom gained. Pray for new and healthy insights and growth. Verses Hebrews 13: 8 Eccl 7: 10

"Appearance"

It's so easy to judge people by their appearance. This way of looking at others is false. Everybody we encounter is an individual;. Their particular look or way of dressing is not sufficient information. The only way is to get to know them. Only then, does their true character come out. Often to our surprise they are very much like ourselves. Verses: 1Sam 16 : 7 Gal 2: 6

"Focus"

How well do we stay focused in our lives? I for one am easily distracted and can lose focus. I am sure others are subject to a loss of focus too. Our ability to shut out all the distractions in life is difficult. We all are bombarded with so many options. Which ones' do we typically choose? Sometimes the I am sure the choices we make are not the best. We could all improve our lives if we focused more on God and less on ourselves. Verses: 1 Cor 10: 31 1 Cor 11: 1-16

" Serving Others"

We all serve others in some way or another. Every parent out there knows how that is. In our jobs we serve a company and its' needs. The rewards are different for each, sometimes satisfaction, sometimes companionship, sometimes faith. Our motivation comes from a desire to do what we said we would do. We all want to do it well. With Gods help not only can we serve him and his kingdom, but we also can serve others and their needs. ( which are one and the same). Verses: Isaiah 40: 28-31( one of my favorites!!)

"The Best"

I have been recently encouraged to follow a TV program that is looking for the best. I won't define what the competition actually is. The idea is that at some point an overall best will be chosen. What does that make the rest of the contestants become? God would tell them they are the best! in his eyes. What will they think of themselves? They may feel that they fell short and weren't good enough. They may feel cheated. They may hopefully realize that they tried and were a part of a group striving to be the best. That should be all of ourselves, goal in life. We will never be best but can try to be more like God each and every step of the way. Verses: Eph 4: 1-6 1 Ch 16 :7-36

"Adventure"

I am a huge fan of unexpected adventure. Sometimes we just need to go with no plan and see what happens. Then we will be led on an adventure of unknown destination. One story goes how my brother was lost returning from a visit at a college, and on a country road found a Corvette he had always wanted to own. His wife may have thought he was wasting time, but he was on an adventure. My daughters got to meet two rescued race horses. All because their dad was on a dad adventure! God will lead us where we need to go if we just let him lead. Verses: James 4: 7-10 2Thess 3: 6-15

"Simple"

I am still working on living a simpler life. It has been a constant goal of mine to succeed. I don't know how well I am doing at times, but strive to achieve improvement none the less. Having a bum leg has made me rely on a lot of other people. I don't get to appreciate a lot of things I used to take for granted. My bikes are sitting unused, my running gear is not wearing out at all, and hiking Longs Peak is out of the question for now! Yet I find there is Gods grace and I am looking at alternative things to focus on. I am reading , praying talking, thinking, reflecting a lot more. Thanks goes to so many people and to God for this insight. Verses Romans 5:1-5 Ex 15 : 2

"Life/Living"

Life and living are two separate or the same things? It all depends on our perception of each, We can just be alive or we can go on living. How we approach either will make a difference in how our lives are. It takes a positive and flexible attitude to be content in each day of our lives. Our impact on others and for others will be important to God. Our growth in all areas through thick and thin will build our character and depth. Pray : God help us all to live a God filled, inspired, and breathed, life. Verses: Jeremiah 10: 23 John 20: 31

"Travel"

How often do we travel, and have it go exactly as planned? Life with God is that way also, we have no way of knowing what we may encounter? Just as things can and will go wrong ,things will also go right! God doesn't give us a play by play book to use. God gives us his word and we need to fill in the blanks ourselves. Our plan may be altered our change from our intention to Gods. In it all we grow and learn and become a better person. Praise God for the bible and its awesome instruction for life! Verses: John 11:25 John 14:6