Philippians 3:15
You become effective by becoming selective. Its human nature to get distracted. We are like gyroscopes, spinning around at a frantic pace but not getting anywhere. Without a clear purpose or goals you will continue to change direction, jobs, relationships, churches, friends, etc., and all the while hoping that each change will settle the confusion or fill the emptiness in your heart. You think “this time it will be different.”, but it doesn’t solve the real problem – lack of focus.
The power of focus can be seen in light. With a magnifying glass the rays of the sun can set paper on fire. But when light is focused even more – it becomes a laser beam, it can cut through steel. NOTHING IS MORE POTENT THAN A FOCUSED LIFE. So if you want your life to have impact, focus it! Stop dabbling. Stop trying to do it all. Do Less, Turn away even from good activities and do only that which matters most.
However, never confuse activity with productivity. The first law of success in this day when so many things are clamoring for our attention is CONCENTRATION – to bend our energies to one point and to go directly to that point, neither looking to the left or to the right. Does focus come easily or naturally? No it is a discipline that must be practiced every day.
Focus does 3 things for you.
It keeps you on target. We find ourselves pulled in a dozen different directions, spending much of our time and energy on things that we don’t really care about. Author Don Marquis put it this way – “Ours is a world where people don’t know what they want, and are willing to go through hell to get it”.
It increases your energy. Attempting everything , like attempting nothing, will suck the life out of you. Focus gives you energy. Admiral Richard Byrd, the Polar explorer said “Few men come anywhere near exhausting the resources dwelling in them. There are deep wells of strength that are never used.” One of the reasons that these wells go untapped is lack of focus. The mind doesn’t reach toward achievement until it has clear objectives.
It lifts you. It has been said that the world stands aside to let anyone pass who knows where he or she is going. Just knowing what she you want to do and making an effort to pursue it, distinguishes you from almost everyone else. Just by striving to become better than you are, you become elevated – even ig you don’t accomplish what you desire, and even if others don’t step aside for you. By trusting God and aiming higher, you move to a higher level.
More to come……..
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
When your huts on fire......
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky.
He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?" Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island!
It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering.
Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.
P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions. One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky.
He felt the worst had happened, and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, "God! How could you do this to me?" Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island!
It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" asked the weary man of his rescuers. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
The Moral of This Story: It's easy to get discouraged when things are going bad, but we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of our pain and suffering.
Remember that the next time your little hut seems to be burning to the ground. It just may be a smoke signal that summons the Grace of God.
P.S. You may want to consider passing this on, because you never know who feels as if their hut is on fire today.
Monday, April 7, 2008
History Lesson
History Mystery Have a history teacher explain this----- if they can.
Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.
Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.
Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both Presidents were shot in the head Now it gets really weird.
Lincoln 's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln .
Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.
Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln , was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.
John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln , was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.
Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are composed of fifteen letters.
Now hang on to your seat. Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.'
Kennedy was shot in a car called ' Lincoln ' made by 'Ford.'
Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse.
Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theater.
Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.
And here's the kicker...
A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe , Maryland
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.
Creepy huh? Send this to as many people as you can, cause: Hey, this is one history lesson most people probably will not mind reading!
Abraham Lincoln was elected to Congress in 1846.
John F. Kennedy was elected to Congress in 1946.
Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860.
John F. Kennedy was elected President in 1960.
Both were particularly concerned with civil rights.
Both wives lost their children while living in the White House.
Both Presidents were shot on a Friday.
Both Presidents were shot in the head Now it gets really weird.
Lincoln 's secretary was named Kennedy.
Kennedy's Secretary was named Lincoln .
Both were assassinated by Southerners.
Both were succeeded by Southerners named Johnson.
Andrew Johnson, who succeeded Lincoln , was born in 1808.
Lyndon Johnson, who succeeded Kennedy, was born in 1908.
John Wilkes Booth, who assassinated Lincoln , was born in 1839.
Lee Harvey Oswald, who assassinated Kennedy, was born in 1939.
Both assassins were known by their three names.
Both names are composed of fifteen letters.
Now hang on to your seat. Lincoln was shot at the theater named 'Ford.'
Kennedy was shot in a car called ' Lincoln ' made by 'Ford.'
Lincoln was shot in a theater and his assassin ran and hid in a warehouse.
Kennedy was shot from a warehouse and his assassin ran and hid in a theater.
Booth and Oswald were assassinated before their trials.
And here's the kicker...
A week before Lincoln was shot, he was in Monroe , Maryland
A week before Kennedy was shot, he was with Marilyn Monroe.
Creepy huh? Send this to as many people as you can, cause: Hey, this is one history lesson most people probably will not mind reading!
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Devotion for the Day
There once was a man who had nothing for his family to eat.
He had an old rifle and three bullets.
So, he decided that he would go out hunting
and kill some wild game for dinner.
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit.
He shot at the rabbit and missed it.
The rabbit ran away.
Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel but missed it.
The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.
As he went further, he saw a large wild "Tom" turkey in the tree,
but he had only one bullet remaining.
A voice spoke to him and said,
"Pray first, aim high, and stay focused.
However, at the same time, he saw a deer
which was a better kill.
He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer.
But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him
so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake.
Still, the voice said again to him,
"I said, 'Pray, Aim high, and Stay focused."
So, the man decided to listen to God's voice.
He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree,
and shot the wild turkey.
The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer.
The handle fell off the gun, hit the snake in the head, and killed it.
And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.
When he stood up to look around,
he had fish in all his pockets,
a dead deer, and a turkey for his family to eat.
The snake (Satan) was dead simply because
the man listened to God.
Moral of the story:
Pray first before you do anything,
aim and shoot high in your goals,
and stay focused on God.
Never let others discourage you concerning your past.
The past is exactly that, "the past."
Live every day one day at a time,
and remember that only God knows our future,
and that He will not put you through any more than you can bear.
Do not look to man for your blessings,
but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance
for you in your favor.
Wait, be still, and patient: keep God first,
and everything else will follow.
Pass this on in order that someone else might be blessed.
FROM ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER ...
Don't worry about tomorrow, God is already there!!!
He had an old rifle and three bullets.
So, he decided that he would go out hunting
and kill some wild game for dinner.
As he went down the road, he saw a rabbit.
He shot at the rabbit and missed it.
The rabbit ran away.
Then he saw a squirrel and fired a shot at the squirrel but missed it.
The squirrel disappeared into a hole in a cottonwood tree.
As he went further, he saw a large wild "Tom" turkey in the tree,
but he had only one bullet remaining.
A voice spoke to him and said,
"Pray first, aim high, and stay focused.
However, at the same time, he saw a deer
which was a better kill.
He brought the gun down and aimed at the deer.
But, then he saw a rattlesnake between his legs about to bite him
so he naturally brought the gun down further to shoot the rattlesnake.
Still, the voice said again to him,
"I said, 'Pray, Aim high, and Stay focused."
So, the man decided to listen to God's voice.
He prayed, then aimed the gun high up in the tree,
and shot the wild turkey.
The bullet bounced off the turkey and killed the deer.
The handle fell off the gun, hit the snake in the head, and killed it.
And, when the gun had gone off, it knocked him into a pond.
When he stood up to look around,
he had fish in all his pockets,
a dead deer, and a turkey for his family to eat.
The snake (Satan) was dead simply because
the man listened to God.
Moral of the story:
Pray first before you do anything,
aim and shoot high in your goals,
and stay focused on God.
Never let others discourage you concerning your past.
The past is exactly that, "the past."
Live every day one day at a time,
and remember that only God knows our future,
and that He will not put you through any more than you can bear.
Do not look to man for your blessings,
but look to the doors that only He has prepared in advance
for you in your favor.
Wait, be still, and patient: keep God first,
and everything else will follow.
Pass this on in order that someone else might be blessed.
FROM ONE FRIEND TO ANOTHER ...
Don't worry about tomorrow, God is already there!!!
Friday, March 28, 2008
CHRISTIAN WAYS TO REDUCE STRESS ...
An Angel says, "Never borrow from the future. If you worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn't happen, you have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, you have to worry twice."
1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19 Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33 Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.
"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
(Romans 8:31)
1. Pray
2. Go to bed on time.
3. Get up on time so you can start the day unrushed.
4. Say No to projects that won't fit into your time schedule, or that will compromise your mental health.
5. Delegate tasks to capable others.
6. Simplify and unclutter your life.
7. Less is more. (Although one is often not enough, two are often too many.)
8. Allow extra time to do things and to get to places.
9. Pace yourself. Spread out big changes and difficult projects over time; don't lump the hard things all together.
10. Take one day at a time.
11. Separate worries from concerns . If a situation is a concern, find out what God would have you do and let go of the anxiety . If you can't do anything about a situation, forget it.
12. Live within your budget; don't use credit cards for ordinary purchases.
13. Have backups; an extra car key in your wallet, an extra house key buried in the garden, extra stamps, etc.
14. K.M.S. (Keep Mouth Shut). This single piece of advice can prevent an enormous amount of trouble.
15. Do something for the Kid in You everyday.
16. Carry a Bible with you to read while waiting in line.
17. Get enough rest.
18. Eat right.
19 Get organized so everything has its place.
20. Listen to a tape while driving that can help improve your quality of life.
21. Write down thoughts and inspirations.
22. Every day, find time to be alone.
23. Having problems? Talk to God on the spot. Try to nip small problems in the bud. Don't wait until it's time to go to bed to try and pray.
24. Make friends with Godly people.
25. Keep a folder of favorite scriptures on hand.
26. Remember that the shortest bridge between despair and hope is often a good "Thank you Jesus."
27. Laugh.
28. Laugh some more!
29. Take your work seriously, but not yourself at all.
30. Develop a forgiving attitude (most people are doing the best they can).
31. Be kind to unkind people (they probably need it the most).
32. Sit on your ego.
33 Talk less; listen more.
34. Slow down.
35. Remind yourself that you are not the general manager of the universe.
36 . Every night before bed, think of one thing you're grateful for that you've never been grateful for before. GOD HAS A WAY OF TURNING THINGS AROUND FOR YOU.
"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
(Romans 8:31)
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Easter Trilogy
Another email I received - a little late - but the message is not
http://wandascountryhome.com/trilogy/
http://wandascountryhome.com/trilogy/
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
This was a recipe that was shared on 2Peas.
Resurrection Rolls
1 roll refrigerator crescent rolls
large marshmallows
melted butter sugar & cinnamon mixture
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Give each child (or child at heart) a triangle of crescent rolls. The crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in.
Give each person a marshmallow. This represents Jesus (white = purity).
Have the child dip the marshmallow in melted butter. This represents the embalming oils that were put on Jesus.
Then dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon & sugar mix. This represents the spices used to annoint the body of Jesus.
Now wrap up the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll ( not like a typical crescent roll up; bring the three corners up to the top and pinch together to seal the marshmallow inside. This is kinda tricky as it gets buttery and slippery.)
This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body in cloths after his death.
Place the rolls on a cookie sheet and put in the oven at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
The oven represents the tomb - pretend like it was 3 days (it will seem like it to a 3 year-old!)
Take the rolls out and let them cool slightly. (Careful, they can be very hot inside!)
Then give the children their rolls and when they cut or bite into them - they are empty! This represents the empty tomb -
Jesus is not there, he has risen! (The marshmallow blows up and melts into the crescent roll as it bakes, forming the empty roll!
Resurrection Rolls
1 roll refrigerator crescent rolls
large marshmallows
melted butter sugar & cinnamon mixture
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Give each child (or child at heart) a triangle of crescent rolls. The crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in.
Give each person a marshmallow. This represents Jesus (white = purity).
Have the child dip the marshmallow in melted butter. This represents the embalming oils that were put on Jesus.
Then dip the buttered marshmallow in the cinnamon & sugar mix. This represents the spices used to annoint the body of Jesus.
Now wrap up the coated marshmallow tightly in the crescent roll ( not like a typical crescent roll up; bring the three corners up to the top and pinch together to seal the marshmallow inside. This is kinda tricky as it gets buttery and slippery.)
This represents the wrapping of Jesus' body in cloths after his death.
Place the rolls on a cookie sheet and put in the oven at 350 for 10-12 minutes.
The oven represents the tomb - pretend like it was 3 days (it will seem like it to a 3 year-old!)
Take the rolls out and let them cool slightly. (Careful, they can be very hot inside!)
Then give the children their rolls and when they cut or bite into them - they are empty! This represents the empty tomb -
Jesus is not there, he has risen! (The marshmallow blows up and melts into the crescent roll as it bakes, forming the empty roll!
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