TEENS

There are teens, and then there are teens.  What?  You may say why I am making such an outrageous statement.  But,  it is true. Teens seem to be placed into one category..”Rotten.”  Absolutely, there is that frontal lobe in the brain ,  which doesn’t seem to be connected to the brain at all! Since our third child is now in the midst of her teens, it would seem as if I would know what teens are all about.  Granted, I may have a range of experience in what to expect in the teen world, but I am still learning. What I have learned is not to pre-judge this stage of development. There are those who branch out, WAY out, but there are others who go through a stage of independence, anticipating what is ahead of them in life after high school, along with those who are still taking the small steps , becoming independent, but still are dependent upon their loved ones.  In any case, we must open up our eyes, ears and tongues as to how we respond to this group. We are their role models, though they may not acknowledge this.  Let us pray they feel the Holy Spirit within them, protecting them and loving them, as they begin to leave the nests to start their own life in this big world.

TOMORROW

The last line of the novel “Gone With the Wind” has Scarlett O’Hara saying “Tomorrow will be another day.” Yes, it will be another day.  How will we approach it?  Will we drag into the new day all the heaviness we are carrying upon our shoulders? Doing so will soon have our shoulders down to our knees, as we continue to add worries to those we can’t let go.  Or, we could try something new; trying to start each day with a clean slate. We will be floating on air before we know it.  What matters is what is happening right now, not what happened yesterday. Ask the Holy Spirit to help lift you up. Forget the past; breathe in the fresh air. Let your soul feel the new energy. Say a prayer of thanks to God for letting you enjoy another day in His beautiful world.

OLD FRIENDS

OLD FRIENDS

While out doing some Christmas shopping today, I heard a familiar voice call out my name.  I had not heard this voice in over 30 years, but I knew it immediately, belonging to a former high school friend.  We started laughing and visiting as if we had seen one another last week. After an hour, we finally pulled away to start our shopping once again. Of course, there were a few more hugs good-bye and a few more of 'one more thing to say', before we both went on. This friend is quite spiritual, which made our conversation take on a different tone than the one we had in high school. We have led different lives since our high school graduation, yet the Spirit brought us together for a chance meeting. It was a good example that though we may think we are different from one another, we still share the same Spirit of God, giving us enlightenment in our lives, no matter where we are!

TASTE AND SEE

A favorite verse of mine is Psalm 34:9, “Taste and see the goodness of the Lord.”  We can taste and see His goodness as we live in His image.  This does not mean we grow our hair out and wear the white robe and sandals. Rather, we live with the same sense of loving, caring, kindness, teaching, listening and learning from one another as the Lord would.  Similar words include graciousness, courtesy, warm-hearted, generosity, gentleness, understanding and giving attention to those we greet. Our morning prayers must ask God to let us feel His Spirit within us as we carry out our actions of the day. We will taste and see the goodness of the Lord everywhere we go. A smile will remain on our faces, no matter where we are. As we know, smiles are contagious. Let our smiles remind others of the great works of the Holy Spirit!

THIRSTY

Can you recall when your mouth was so dry, you desperately needed water? We can't envision anything else, as everything inside dries up. Think in the same realm, but this time, be thirsty for the Lord.  What if you couldn't have Him in your life?  Would you die from not having God to replenish your thirst, as if you were out in the arid desert without a canteen? Instead, we can remember what we have been told, that if we continue to have faith as tiny as a mustard seed, we can achieve the impossible.  Our canteens would be filled, bringing back a new life.Our souls would constantly be replenished by the love of God, having the Holy Spirit being actively alive within each of us.  Never stop those prayers to God, asking Him to please keep you going in your spiritual life, never letting its stream of wisdom, knowledge and love go dry. As it continues to flow, so will you words of encouragement and prayer continue to flow, always blessing God for the good life you have been given.