Showing posts with label Something to Think About. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Something to Think About. Show all posts

What Makes You Smile?


Lately, on Facebook, I’ve been asking a question—What’s making you smile today?

It’s not just a question I’m posing for others, but one I’m asking myself every day…because sometimes, no matter how our day is going, we just need to make sure we can still smile.

It’s easier when everything is happy and going well, but on those hard days? Not so much.

The smile on my face doesn't mean my life is perfect,
it just means I appreciate what I have 
and what God has blessed me with.
Unknown

During this winter which seems very long—we need to smile, even on the days that make us weary of the cold and snow.

During the difficult days when we don’t know what’s going to happen or what we need to do next—we need to find something to make us smile.

Especially when we don’t feel like smiling, we can make a conscious effort to find something that makes us smile. {Tweet this}
                                                                                      
Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile,
but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.
Thich Nhat Hanh

Once we’re in a non-smiling mood, it’s easy to stay there. It’s comfortable to dwell on everything that’s bringing us down. And it’s all too common to spread that negativity to those around us.

But smiling when we don’t want to? Some days that can be a real challenge—one that’s worth the effort.

What if your smile is the only one someone else sees today?

What if your smile is what helps turn someone else’s day around?

What if we fan into flame a positive outlook instead of the downbeat way we might feel? {Tweet this}

We shall never know all the good that a simple smile can do.
– Mother Teresa

A smile won’t fix every situation or change undesirable circumstances, but it won’t make them worse. It has the potential to change our focus for a few moments causing us to look at something other than what we can’t fix. {Tweet this}

And after a while of working to find a reason to smile, it will become a habit—a good habit. One that we’ll want to continue.

I just like to smile, smiling’s my favorite.
Buddy (from the movie Elf)

What’s making you smile today?

In Christ,
Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]


Appreciate the Boring Moments


I remember as a kid complaining to my mom about how bored I was, usually with some dramatic flair. I'm booored! There's nothing to doooo!

The thought struck me again the other day, out of the blue (without the drama.) But this time, as soon as I thought I was bored, I knew it was okay.

It's been a while since life felt calm enough to have even a moment to feel bored. It didn't last long, but it made me think about life.

We go, go, go all the time. We fill every minute of the day with activities, social media and working or playing on electronics. Or we spend our days just trying to keep up, not because we want to be busy, but because we're overwhelmed by life.

That's how it's been for me, season after season of feeling overwhelmed. Reminding myself to take one step at a time, one day at a time.

So thinking even for a moment that I was bored took me by surprise...and then I decided to appreciate it.

There's nothing wrong with having a few boring moments in a day. It allows us to slow down. To be present where we are. And just breathe. {Tweet this}

In Christ,
Laura 


God Works As We Share


I’m not always the best at sharing parts of my life with others. I wrestle with whether or not to share, with whom, and how much I want to put out there. I don’t want to admit how much I struggle in difficult situations and I don’t want to burden someone else with my worries.

But, I’m learning that sharing our stories (even small parts of them) is often the way we will see God use it for good. {Tweet this}

This past summer was heartbreaking for me when I lost my mom to cancer. In the weeks before, I spent time visiting with her, which kept me out of town quite a bit. During a downtime, I emailed a friend to update her on how things were going.

She replied, “I’ve been thinking about you almost all the time because my mom has been visiting this week—it’s really made me appreciate her visit even more.”

As hard as my days were, God gave me a glimpse of how He was using what I was going through in someone else’s life. A tiny reminder that He can use anything for good—even something that didn’t feel so good to me.

I told my mom what my friend said and despite her pain, it made her smile. It felt like it came full circle. Because I shared my situation, my friend felt comfortable to tell me her experience, and I was able to share that with my mom—how her situation was helping someone she didn’t even know. It was a little bit of light interrupting a dark day.

We don’t always get to see how God works, but sometimes, He blesses us with a small peek into His work. {Tweet this}

Is there a time when you got to see how God was using something in your life to help someone else?

In Christ,
Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]


Our Presence Matters

A few weeks ago, I went to a concert with my family. As we enjoyed the music of the opening act, I couldn’t help but notice all the lit up screens around me. I nudged my teenage daughter and told her what I was thinking—I don’t get it.

It’s not that people were taking pictures of the performance, they were scrolling social media and taking selfies. Lots of selfies. And then quickly posting said selfies.

Thinking out loud, I whispered, “Why not enjoy the time spent with friends and family now instead of constantly worrying about what the world sees on social media?”

She said, “Because if it’s not on social media it’s like it didn’t happen.”

Oh. That’s sad.

Our time with others in real life shouldn’t need to be validated by the online world.

Selfies and goofy pictures prove we were there, but did we miss the opportunity to enjoy our time while we were there?

Having just recently lost a loved one, I know how quickly life as we know it can change. I’m glad I have the pictures we took to remember the happier times, but I also deeply treasure the time spent together, especially in the hard last days. Had I been constantly checking social media I would have missed the conversations and the gift of time I was given.

Watching the activity around me, I couldn’t help but think about the time people spend with others without really being present. Maybe you think it doesn’t matter, but it does. Your presence matters.

In Jesus’ time on earth, He didn’t have to worry about technology and keeping up with what everyone was doing. Wherever He was, He was present. And lives were changed. {Tweet this}

Our presence with Jesus and with others matters. When we’re preoccupied with other stuff, we miss the opportunity to relate to those around us. And they miss out on spending time with us.

Yes, I know, life is busy and much of the time we are trying to juggle multiple things at once. Maybe the issue isn’t all that we have going on, but how we prioritize our time. People can see what matters to us.

I remember sitting in a meeting watching team members, including the team leader, stare at their screens. It only took a few minutes to understand the priorities—screens mattered more than the people sitting around the table. It’s probably not what was intended, but it’s the message that was received.

How often do we send that message to those around us?

How often do we send that message to God when we sit down to spend time with Him, but find ourselves distracted with other things?

Our presence matters—to God, our spouse, our children, parents, friends, co-workers, and the list goes on.

Sometimes all we can offer someone is our presence, to sit with another when there’s nothing else we can do. Our presence matters. It’s what is remembered and often what means the most. {Tweet this}

I’m not against social media; it has its good points. But like most things, it also has its drawbacks. While it helps us keep in touch with others, it also takes our attention away from who we’re with right now, causing us to lose the chance to make memories today.

What we see on social media may or may not be what’s really happening in someone’s life. But those around us—our relationships—they are real whether we let others see into our world or not. And our presence in real life matters. {Tweet this}

In Christ,
Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]


What If?


Last night, we got into a What if? conversation. Not the kind that causes worry, but rather wonder.

What if my husband and I hadn’t gone out the night we met? What if we’d each chosen to do something else that night…would we have met each other at a different time? It seems unlikely.

Which means everything since then wouldn’t have happened. Or would have occurred in completely different ways.

It made me keep thinking and wondering about how we live our days and how any given decision can affect the future…

What if we focused on the positive instead of the negative?

What if we spent less time worried or angry?

What if we were less offended by all the things that offend us?

What if we decide to choose joy despite circumstances?

How would everything be different? Better?

Think about it.

How much time do we waste stewing about the past or worried about the future? {Tweet this}

Every day, we have the choice to spend our time holding on to anger and unforgiveness…or letting it go.

We have the choice to turn to God, to walk closer to Him, and to receive and grow in His love and forgiveness. Or we can choose not to.

What if we wonder (not worry) and let the what ifs help us make better daily choices?

In Christ,
Laura
  

What Others Think


Last week after work I stopped at Target for dinner ingredients and a few miscellaneous items. Not in a hurry, I stopped first in the cosmetic section where I met an employee, who also happened to be a cosmologist. She was very friendly...and loud...boisterous...with a voice that traveled for anyone in the general area to hear.

And she was so. much. fun!

We chatted. She talked about products. And I let her find the correct color for me—in the Target aisle...where other shoppers were walking by and, I'm sure, could hear our conversation.

I thought about this briefly as she wiped off the makeup I was wearing. I wondered if she had attracted attention our way, but I realized I didn't care because it was fun.

A day later, I was still thinking about it...

Why are we so concerned about the opinions of people we don't know and may or may not ever see again?

Why do we worry about being judged by people who are going to judge us no matter what we do?


How often do we keep ourselves from having fun because of what others might think? 

Maybe it's...

the movie no one else wants to see, so we go alone.

the question we ask even if we fear looking dumb.

the new activity we try even though we don't know what we're doing.

Or perhaps it's whatever we later regret not doing because we let the fear of what someone might think stand in our way.

When we constantly worry about what others think, we keep ourselves from enjoying the moment we're in. We miss out on things that can make us smile and distract us from the heaviness of life.

And sometimes it's the distraction alone that makes us smile and face the rest of the day.

In Christ,
Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]


When Routine Becomes an Idol


There's something about having a routine that's comforting. We can accomplish tasks without having to give them much thought and there are few decisions to make because we're used to a regular pattern.

It's normal for us to want to get back into a routine after a vacation or summer break. It's what we're used to.

But, as with anything, too much of even a good thing can have consequences. Like when keeping the routine becomes so important it keeps us from other things in life.

When does a routine become an idol? {Tweet this}

When it takes us away from family and friends because that time is not in the schedule.

When we miss out on an experience because we couldn't be spontaneous.

When we can't see God at work because we're too focused on keeping our schedule.

When the routine is interrupted and it ruins our day, and in turn, the day of those around us because of how the interruption affected us.

When we see a broken routine as a negative reflection and use it to beat ourselves up.

Having a routine isn't a bad thing. It's when it has control over us that it becomes a problem. {Tweet this}

When our routine takes precedence over everything else or when we expect others to constantly work around us, that's when our routine has become an idol.

In Christ,
Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com/SethMacey]


How to Make a Difference in Someone’s Day


Not long ago, I was reminded again of the pain and heartache in the world. It's not that I'd forgotten exactly, but sometimes it's there—everywhere you look. It becomes hard to miss and impossible to ignore.

That was a week I had. I could see the struggle behind the smiles. I could read the heartache in written words. I could hear the pain in the tears.

Family members struggling.
Loved ones hurting.
Friends grieving.

Strained and broken relationships.
Physical and emotional pain.
Financial hardships.

Everyone has something to deal with, and while our struggles may be different, they are no less real. They are no less significant.
{Tweet this}

Often, one of the only things we can do for someone is to be there. To listen, without giving advice (unless asked) and to extend compassion, even when we don't understand.

What else can we do?

3 Things We Can Do to Make a Difference in Someone's Day

1) Smile

I wonder how often one person's smile is the best part of someone else's day. Something so small, and yet so big and important. So easy, but forgotten about when we get busy and rush through the day.

What if, regardless of our mood or how our day is going, we make an effort to smile more—with our families, co-workers, at the grocery store, the bank, the school—wherever we have the opportunity to make a difference? Your smile may be just what someone else needs today.

2) Reach Out

When someone is in your thoughts, let them know. God will bring someone to mind and place them in our hearts for a reason. He knows they need a kind word. They need to feel remembered. They need to know someone is thinking of, and praying for, them.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard from a friend at just the right time. I want to be that friend to another. I'll admit, I'm working on this one. I have a habit of putting off an email, thinking I'll get to it later, and then forgetting. But I'm trying to be intentional about reaching out to others.

3) Pray

Something happens when we pray. We draw closer to the One who hears us and sees everything. He not only works in the lives of those we pray for, but He works in our lives.

Prayer changes us from the inside out, in ways we may not even be aware of. Perhaps you've been praying for someone, or for a situation, for so long and you're ready to give up. I know the feeling. But, we can't give up. Prayer matters! It makes a difference, even if we can't see it.

We may never know if, or how, our prayers were answered for someone else's life. But God knows, and that's what matters. {Tweet this}

How can you make a difference in someone’s day today?

In Christ,
Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]

5 Verses for Visiting with Family


The upcoming holidays can be a season of joy and celebration, but it can also be a time of sadness, turmoil, stress, and frustration.

For many, the get-togethers and visits with extended family are less than pleasant and more let’s-just-get-through-this, adding more pressure during a busy time of year.

I’ve been thinking about how God’s Word can help us through the difficult reunions.

5 Scripture Verses for Visiting with Family

We also pray that you will be strengthened with all his glorious power so you will have all the endurance and patience you need.

Patience. No matter how well we get along with family members, we need an extra supply of patience. Extra excited children running around, long-winded story tellers, doting aunts and grandparents…there’s a lot going on at a gathering. Some love it, some don’t. Some thrive in crowds, some crave a few minutes alone. That’s the great thing about silent prayer. While you smile and try to stay engaged, you can be asking God for patience to get through the next minute…and the next hour…and the rest of the day.

The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

What we see doesn’t tell the entire story. Just as we may wear a mask and try to act like everything is alright, others do too. When we’re growing weary of others, it might be helpful to remember that we don’t always know what someone else is going through. But God knows, and perhaps He’s placing you in this person’s path for a reason.

My commandment is this: love one another, just as I love you.

When I’m struggling to show love to someone not acting loveable, I have to remind myself that I’m not always loveable myself. If someone seems extra irritable or moody, it’s possible they’re weighed down by life. (And aren’t we all at times?) Whether they want to talk about it or not, compassion, even when we don’t know the circumstances, goes a long way. {Tweet this}

Sensible people control their temper; they earn respect by overlooking wrongs.

I’ve known family members who refused to talk to each other for a long time because of misspoken or misunderstood words. Most of the time, getting the last word just isn’t worth the drama and hurt feelings. Sometimes the best thing you can do is to resist the urge to engage and walk away.
Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

We cannot control other people’s behavior, but we can control our own actions and reactions. {Tweet this} Don’t take the bait leading to an argument, gossip, or any other behavior more pleasing to the enemy than to God. If you feel yourself getting pulled in, ask for His help to hold your tongue, change or leave the conversation, and to forgive others’ behavior.

No matter how hard we try, the truth is not one of us is perfect, and family relationships have never been easy. {Tweet this}

Remember Jacob? He had issues with his twin brother Esau; was tricked by his father-in-law into marrying Leah when he loved and wanted to marry Rachel; and played favorites with his sons from both Leah and Rachel, which, of course, led to many years of more family drama.

And yet, God loved Jacob, giving him the name Israel, and placing him directly in the lineage of Jesus.

Happy Thanksgiving!

In Christ,
Laura

[Photo Credit: Pixaby.com] 


Less of Me


A few days ago, I woke up with seven words on my mind...More of You Lord, less of me.

I knew it had to do with the way I'd felt when I went to bed the night before. Frustrated with emotions that I'd buried months ago, and were now coming back to the surface. Feelings I could either bury again, or would have to deal with now.

Neither choice looked appealing, but those words kept running through my mind like a ticker tape reminder...More of You Lord, less of me.


That reminder became my prayer over and over throughout the day because I know that when I don't have it in me to deal with something, God does. {Tweet this}

When I struggle to forgive...

More of You Lord, less of me.

When I don't understand and don't know which way to go...

More of You Lord, less of me.

When I can't change my circumstances or someone else's actions...

More of You Lord, less of me.

When I feel lost and lonely...

More of You Lord, less of me.

When my emotions are going to overtake me...

More of You Lord, less of me.

So often I forget this, trying to deal with things on my own. But the truth is, every day, in every situation, I need more of Him and less of me. {Tweet this}

In Christ,
Laura

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]


Embrace the Moments


I’m joining the Five Minute Friday community with Kate Motaung…5 minutes, no rewriting, and a one word prompt…
Embrace

Life doesn’t always go the way we would like it to. There are unexpected twists and turns that move us in a different direction than we had planned.

That’s where we have a choice—to get stuck in the way we wish things were or embrace where God has us and what He’s blessed us with.

Maybe you don’t see your current circumstances as a blessing. I get that. Sometimes I don’t either.

But even in the midst of difficult situations, we can still experience joy, love, and happiness. And most especially, a close relationship with God.

If we focus on what we don’t have, we will miss these moments.

But, when we accept where we are, then we are able to watch for the moments that matter. {Tweet this} When we watch for them, we will experience them. And embrace them as memories.

In Christ,
Laura

The Power of a Kind Word


I was reminded today of the importance of a kind word.

A surprise hand-written note in the mailbox…with sweet encouragement…and a thank you. Completely unexpected—and deeply appreciated.

Just one way in which God works through us to reach others.

There is power in the words we speak. They can build up or they can tear down. {Tweet this}

There have been so many destroying words in the past year. It’s time for more thoughtful, considerate, uplifting words.

Words that encourage.

Words that promote healing.

Words that show thanks and appreciation.

Words that reflect Jesus.

What if each day we showed kindness with the words we speak? {Tweet this}

To our family and friends.

To our co-workers.

To the cashier and fellow shoppers.

To the stranger we cross paths with.

To those who inspire us and embolden us to make a difference in the world around us.

Kind words are like honey—sweet to the soul and healthy for the body.

May we choose our words wisely.

In Christ,
Laura 

[Photo credit: FreeImages.com]


One Expectation for Christmas

I’m joining the Five Minute Friday community with Kate Motaung…5 minutes, no rewriting, and a one word prompt…
Joy


It’s supposed to be the most joyful time of every year. But for many, it’s not. Illness, loneliness, grief, depression, emotional or physical pain, unemployment, and for so many other reasons, December can be a very difficult month.

The truth is, every month can be just as difficult, but the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas come with heavy expectations and extra pressure. And when those expectations of happiness and the perfect Christmas are not met, the letdown takes its toll.

What if we went into the season with only One expectation for a good Christmas?

Joyfulness comes in the One who came to us—Jesus Christ. {Tweet this} He didn’t arrive expecting celebrity fanfare and an overdone celebration. He came as a vulnerable baby boy through Whom we see God’s glory.

December 25 will come and go just as it does every year. Families will get on each other’s nerves and gifts will lose their sparkle. But the Gift of Jesus will never grow old.

What are your expectations during the Christmas season?

In Christ,
Laura  

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]


There is Only One You

When my daughter was little, she loved VeggieTales. The was the last line of almost every movie was…

“God made you special, and He loves you very much.” 
~ VeggieTales

I heard it over and over and over. The other day, it came to mind, not because we were watching it (although, I still enjoy a good VeggieTales now and again), but because I’ve been thinking a lot about how we compare ourselves to others.

God made each of us unique in our own way—how we look, how we think, our talents, what our passions are—and though we’re different, each one of us is special. Because that’s how God made us.

But the temptation to look at someone else and compare myself to her is so great. You know what I’m talking about, right? We compare our looks, accomplishments, how our kids act, our past, our strengths and failures, and so many other things, and it makes what we have look like less. It makes us think of ourselves as less than.

My friends, God does not compare His children to one another. And He doesn’t want us to do so either. {Tweet this}

If He wanted us all alike, He would have made us that way…little cookie-cutter people with the same looks and interests, the same talents and accomplishments. But He didn’t because He loves each of us the way we are—the person He made us to be.

God made you special, and He loves you very much.

Each of us has a place in this world and a purpose. But when we start comparing and trying to be someone we’re not, we end up in the wrong place, and our purpose gets muddled.

So, what do we do when we’re tempted to compare ourselves to someone else, wishing we were like them?

Instead of comparing, what if we looked at how we complement each other? You have talents I don’t have, just as I have interests that aren’t your cup of tea. Sizing ourselves up against each other takes something away from each of us—we start to judge each other and think less of ourselves.

Instead of comparing, what if we cheer each other on? Encouraging those close to us in what they have to offer, and making the decision not to judge those we don’t know. And not thinking less of ourselves because someone is able to do something that we aren’t, or has something that we don’t.

Comparing can bring out the worst in us—jealousy, envy, spite—none of which God intended for us to be consumed with. But we live in a fallen world…and we will fight this temptation.
  
But the truth will always be the same—God made you special, and He loves you very much.

There is only one you and if you try to be someone else, we don’t get to see the one special you God created. And the world misses out. {Tweet this}

In Christ,
Laura 

[Photo credit: Unsplash.com]