Work Never Begun

You may have seen signs that say something like "Future Home of" and there is an organization or business name associated with it. Have you ever seen any of those types of signs on properties that never seem to change?

These types of properties make the surrounding property look kind of sad because there is no promise of that building or property getting finished. So, it all just sits there - waiting to be developed.

However, as sad as the property looks, at least someone took the time to start. That brings us to this week's quote...

Can anything be sadder than work unfinished? Yes, work never begun. ~ Christina Rossetti

I think there are lots of "works", within people, that are never begun. There is likely a lot of people who have potential for success simply hidden within them. You pass by them on a regular basis without even knowing it.

There could be properties booming all around us, everywhere we go, if they were simply started - if the dream would commit one foot in stepping out to take the first step.

If you could do ANYTHING

in life, would your present life look any different? Even if you are in your "dream" job, would you have something about the present situation that would cause it to look different?

What causes it to not look like that? What could you do to make it start to look like your "dream" position? Think about it and work to develop ways to achieve it!

Join in With Someone in the Journey of Life

Life is not the same for any one person. We all live through different experiences, different fashion times, different music times, different families, and the differences could continue. So when two people enter into a life together, they are going to bring those differences with them.

If you've been in a long-term relationship, what were some of the differences that made the relationship the challenge? What made it that much more rewarding?

As much as I like to have "me" time, I could not imagine what life would be like without the blessing of the company of my wife, son and daughter. I love them so much and that brings us to this week's quote...

Get a life in which you are not alone. Find people you love, and who love you. And remember that love is not leisure, it is work. ~ Anna Quindlen

Relationships are not easy, but they are very rewarding! When we put in work, we reap the benefits. Sometimes we can reap the benefits anyway, but to work at it is rewarding without the benefits.

So, "get a life" and spend time with people, but it will take effort...Keep that in mind.

Now, you have the opportunity to answer the question posted in the first part of the post...

"I Don't...Want You to Be Unprotected" - I Corinthians 13:7a (NIV)

Protection is important in so many realms.  In sports, especially contact sports, it is vital to have the proper protection, along with the proper fitting protection.  Firefighters need protection as they enter in to a burning blaze.  Cars are equipped with protection from accidents.  Is your spouse or someone close to you fitted with the right protection as they ventured out into the world today?

Are those we love not going through their day unprotected, based on what you can be doing?  Which is, at most, praying.  Petitioning to God that He watch over them and their situations today.  I hope you are putting the people you love in the hands of God. 

Yesterday, we looked at a couple of instances of Abraham and Sarah where they both left each other unprotected and in a vulnerable situation. We need to remember to not leave our spouses or anyone we care about, unprotected as they go through their day.  Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Realize People are Unprotected ~ You may not have thought about your spouses, kids, or your friends being unprotected in the destination they were heading to today.  However, they probably were and why take a chance on them being left unprotected.
•  Kids at School
• Peers - as they talk about what they did over the weekend and possible "fun" they had.
• Boyfriend/Girlfriend - staying pure and choosing a person to date, wisely.
• Cheating - so they won't want to take the easy way out of getting assignments done or not studying well enough and being tempted to look off of a neighbor's paper
• Be an example to others, being willing to walk away from certain dangerous situation
• Any cell phone use, hopefully not at school, will be used for clean communication, not gossip, demeaning, crudeness, or sexting.
• Work
• Co-workers - Won't be tempted to get emotionally or physically involved
• Supervisors - They will be able to handle situations with integrity and sophistication
• Customers - They will be able to handle confrontations well, Keeping interactions completely "business"
• Business trips - Loyalty to the people you love
•  Public
• Driving - Alertness of yourself, safety from other driver, car operating properly
• Shopping - Keeping your eyes in check - other people, magazine pictures, gossip papers
• Home
• Television - both is seen and heard - even to the point that you will not fall victim of impulse buying during "infomercials" or shopping channels, etc.
• Computer - Adults and kids are all possible victims of some kind of online porn - doesn't have to be visual.  It can also be "soft" porn.  Online predators.  Social media - possible problems with seeing/posting bad comments/pictures.
• NOTE: Not all of these are going to be where the person you are praying for is the one doing the wrong thing.  They call be reversed where the person you are praying about is being preyed upon.
2. Pray for People Who are Unprotected ~ Is someone you know being involved in one of those general areas listed in #1?  Probably everyone in your household is involved in those sometime today.  Pray for them!
3. What price would you pay? - Identity theft has become a pretty big deal over the past decade.  People go to great lengths to make sure they're protected.  What would you do if someone started using your identification numbers?  You'd probably panic a bit at first.  Well, you could solve a good number of your worries with protection by just taking them to the ultimate Protector...God.  Let Him know your issues so that He can protect you and your loved ones.

It can be a real wake up call for some to see that the ones they care about often go unprotected.  By the way, there's nothing wrong with praying for yourself, either.

Can you continue to add to the pledge of "I Don't"s by saying "I don't want you to be unprotected"?




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Why'd You Get Up This Morning?

In college I had some difficult times getting up on my own.  I tried putting the alarm clock as close to my head as possible - it was on my headboard - and there were a few times I slept through it buzzing and buzzing and buzzing.  One roommate in the dorm slept below me, in the bunk bed, actually would push me with his feet sometimes to get me to wake up.  This also led me to miss some church times too, especially Bible Class (as it was first).  Since I didn't go that much, this certain year, people weren't expecting to see me, hence, I wasn't missed.

After that particular year, I started playing softball with a group in the church.  Things really changed.  I started taking an interest in them and they in me.  I started to see a "reason" for going to church assemblies, even Bible Class.  That brings us to this week's quote...

You really don't need a reason to get up in the morning! You need to be the reason other people get up in the morning!  ~ Joseph Simmons, "Rev Run"

It is easy to think that no one really cares about you - if you're there, if you're not, etc.  You're just you.  That is the problem, we think too much about ourself in regards to what is in it for me.  We should lose that train of thought and realign it to think "what can I do for others, today". 

Maybe you could be the smile in someone's day.  Maybe you could be the compliment.  Maybe you could be the held-out-hand of help.  Maybe you could be the reason other people are getting up this morning.

You can choose to get out of bed and dread going wherever you are going or you can decide to see how you can make a small difference in someone's life.  It's up to you each and every day!

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Wondering What Happened

Have you ever returned to a town you used to live and noticed that in your time of absence things changed? Changes like: Businesses closed, buildings torn down, town expansion, etc. We reflect back "in the day" when we lived there and the way the environment used to look. I remember taking my wife to a town where I used to live. It was very small and it only took about 15 minutes to "tour". I enjoyed trip down memory lane of returning to the "Prairie Chicken Capital of the World", with a population of 130 (in 2000), according to the Wikipedia website.

Change is happening in our world all the time. In order for change to take place, someone must be willing to work and carry out the work that creates change. For those that do not put in the work, they may wonder what happened while "they were gone". This brings us to a quote that challenges me as I think about change and the effort it takes implementing change...

There are those that work, there are those that talk about those working, and there are those that wonder what happened. ~ DudLee Brennfoerder

Which category do you generally fit into? Are you a "get involved" kind of person, a "talk about whose getting involved" person, or a "when did this change" kind of person? As a society we are infected with this mentality. It affects us in various facets: communities, jobs, churches, etc.

Usually those in the latter two categories have a difficult time seeing the purpose in a project. The more we're a part of a project the more we see the purpose and develop a passion in the project.

As you look around your community, workplace, or church, think about how you will be involved with a project/program. If there isn't a work going on that you want to be involved in, think about an area that you are passionate about and see what might happen. Your passion will may end up being magnetic to others, causing them to desire to be involved, also.

It is very enjoyable to be involved in areas you feel strongly about. It motivates you so much that you may find it hard to quit or not look forward to the time when the project is finished. Get involved...who knows what fun adventures are right around the corner that you never would have known about if you didn't pursue your passions.

Energized by being involved...
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Picture came from: http://www.thelope.com/2006/09/three-meals-in-kansas.html

Monday Mentionings: "Empty" - Future - Amos 4:6-8

When you started the day/week, where was your focus at for the week? Maybe it was on one thing or many, we're all different. Try this one on, was what you were focused on something you looked forward to or dreaded? The power of positive thinking affects us greatly. So, if you looked at the week with dread, you are in for a much rougher road. Looking at the week with dread is like seeing the week without something - fun, enjoyment, fulfillment, etc., which means it is empty of those things. This series called "Empty" focuses on different things which we may experience a form of that word. Yesterday, we looked at how a future can seem empty. Try these applications on for size and see if they can help you as you go through your week...

1. Self-esteem is so important to how a person looks to the future. When you have a low self-esteem you may feel like life, or some aspect of it, is without hope. You may have feelings of wanting to get away, but this can have a negative effect as you are just surrounded by negative thoughts. May the words of Paul encourage you, "[You] are God's workmanship"! The idea of workmanship is like a work of art. You are unique and God can do amazing things through you - what will this week bring?

2. I've heard many times about people who wonder why their life wasn't any better after they became a Christian. They're looking for the blessings that come from being a Christian. Blessings are subjective - you may not get health and wealth blessings, but you may get a lot of other tangible blessings that you aren't noticing. Regardless, our most valuable blessing is to have Christ as a Savior. When all the "sugar" runs out of our life and it seems very bitter, God is still around. The next time you're feeling you are emptied of blessings, think about how you can see, hear, type, walk, run, breathe, or any other good thing you take for granted. We also have the opportunity to go to heaven...what a BLESSING!

3. What do you desire to happen when you come together with the family of God? I desire to be surprised by how God shows up. I am hungry each and every day for that. Do you have a desire to connect with Him some way? Have you ever lost that desire or any desire related to this? We've all probably had "valley days" - I have. That is natural, but what God hopes will not happen is that you stay in "Camp Self", that you lose all desire to go to Him. Even if the only source of hunger is where He's at, you are so content to be in "Camp Self" that you'd rather forage in the valley, than go to Him. May you never find yourself at "Camp Self" - or at least staying there! Seek Him!

May God bless you with a great week!

Spring is knocking! I love the transitional seasons!

Blessed by the Blood ~

E-mail Encouragement: Living Out Your Philosophy

What do you get up and strive for each day? Is it just to “get to the end of the day”? Or is it something more specific and, hopefully, more positive? When you apply for some professional jobs, your future employer may ask about your “philosophy”. This “philosophy” usually reflects the job that you are applying for in one way or another. How would you define your “philosophy” for each day – from wake up to bed time? Maybe you’ve never thought about it…well, now’s your time to think about it a second…then read today’s quote…

The most practical, beautiful, workable philosophy won't work – if you won't. ~ Zig Ziglar

You could come up with a great philosophy on how you will live your life for ______? Naturally, my first word to put in the blank is “Christ” – how will you live for Him? Another one word would be yourself – this could include your character, integrity, reputation, etc. – how will you live to improve these areas? A third word would be family – what will you do to better your biological family or spiritual family? You might be able to think about some other words/phrases to put in the blank.

The main point is that no matter which word you choose, one provided or one you came up with, if you don’t put in the work your “philosophy” doesn’t accomplish its intention. Are you willing to put your “philosophy” to work by putting in the effort?

I hope your day reflects your “philosophy”!

Have a great rest of the week!

Defining, then living it out ~

E-mail Encouragement: Being Different

Ketchup, bread, and chocolate chip cookies. What do these all have in common. You can go to the store and have your choice to pick out any one of these in a variation of brands - each one still being about the same idea. There isn't much difference in the taste and texture in the variation of these three (within their own categories). The idea that they are pretty much the same brings us to this week's quote...

In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different. ~ Coco Chanel

A few years ago, Heinz brand ketchup came out with variations in order to make their brand a bit different. Bread companies have tried different things to make their bread seem different. Chips Ahoy brand cookies has "Soft Batch" and "Chocolate Chunk" to try to be different. Once a product is made, others will try to mimic that product. So, the constant challenge is to stay ahead of others in the same business, just to make sure you are maintain a status of being irreplaceable. As Christians, we all are equipped with the same amount of bones and other body components as anyone else. So, what makes us different? That is the constant challenge. We can be polite and kind, but so are others. We have to keep going toward what is uncommon in order to make sure that we are not replaceable. Such as, are others able to turn the other cheek when being "hit" in life?

How will you be different? I pray that your individual uniqueness will allow you to find ways to be irreplaceable!

Looking for ways ~

E-mail Encouragement: What Value Do You Bring?

When you work at a job, you are getting paid for the amount of time or the amount of tasks that you complete. Tasks, obviously, take time to complete, so in a sense, it still comes down to time. However, when you do work, you get your money after a certain time of working, not before. You are required to show up for work, complete your responsibilities, and then you will receive your money. This week's quote is a little different take on the normal attitude toward working...

You don't get paid for the hour. You get paid for the value you bring to the hour. ~ Jim Rohn

I would agree with this quote, but let's look at it like this: How much would you get paid if you were being paid based on the "value" you brought to that hour? Would it be more or less than your current amount?

Salvation is a free gift with priceless value. Since we are rewarded with salvation before our life on earth ends, we sometimes forget that we still have responsibilities of "bringing value" to the hours we're here on earth. It would make it much easier to get the "check" of salvation once we were at the end because we'd always be putting in a great amount of effort. Thinking about salvation, how much would you get paid based on the value you bring to the spreading of the Kingdom? Would it be more or less?

We can be thankful that Christ already paid our "wage" to be eligible to go to heaven. Let us be valuable during the hours we're here on the earth!!!

I'm thankful that I don't get my salvation paycheck based on what I do! But based on what Jesus has done!!!

Serving Him ~

Monday Mentionings: Through Foes, the Work Goes - Nehemiah 4

With school about to start, it seems that people are becoming busier. Whether it is physically busy or just mentally busy, the school year brings busyness. Sometimes the more busy you are the easier it is in life because it becomes such a routine for most.

As we press on to "build the wall", we looked at the fourth chapter of Nehemiah on Sunday. The builders were following Nehemiah to get the job finished, but they faced opposition. We, too, face opposition in life. Whether it is from something big or small, opposition is all around. How will you deal with it??? Think about these applications from the lesson...

1. When was the last time you were provoked? How did you deal with it? Did it make your "blood boil"? Was it a comment about you or someone else? Pray that the next time you are provoked you will handle it with total maturity and steadiness. Don't let someone try to keep you from "building your wall"!
2. When we really want something, we tend to talk about it a lot. Just notice a child that really wants a new toy in the store. Did they stop after they didn't get it? They will keep asking until they got what they wanted. What do you want God to do with your life? Ask God to give that to you. Remember that His will is what matters, but persistence is a big key to praying!
3. The people who were in opposition to Nehemiah plotted to try to make sure they thwarted the plans of the people. Satan is out doing the same to us. He wants us to give in to our fleshly desires. He wants us to compromise our morals. He wants us to fail! Remember to keep your Armor of God on at all times, knowing that you are susceptible.
4. We need the protection of God at all times. As in #3, the Armor of God gives protection, but that isn't all that will give protection. God himself will provide a safe place for us to be. As you stand guard and watch, remember to ask God to protect you - feet (where you go), eyes (what you see), hands (what you do), mouth (what you say), ears (what you hear), and mind (what you think).

How has God been using you lately?

In Him ~