WHY DO YOU SAY . . . "YES?"

"Saying yes is a favorite habit of the woman who always feels too busy . . . We have a thousand ways of saying yes, and lots of reasons for doing so. For one thing,

yes gets people off our backs.
It makes us feel omnipotent.
It boosts our self-esteem (temporarily).
It keeps us from being bored.
It saves us from having to be purposeful about what we choose to do.
And it flatters our ego because we're needed and viewed as capable.

"We may not be bored, but we're doing something uninteresting to us, and we're doing it without conviction.
 We beat ourselves up because we didn't have the courage to say no.
Or maybe we just got uncomfortable saying no and wanted to try a little yes on for size."

Linda Andersen
The Too Busy Book
Waterbrook Press   2004
p. 143

Why do YOU say yes?

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

CROW STORIES

KABOOM!

"A raven that heard repeated explosions being set off by a highway crew is reported afterwards to have shouted, "Three, two, one, KABOOM!"

COMPASSION OF . . . A CROW?

"Crows are known for their acts of kindness to injured and ailing members of their species. In one well-documented case, a mated male northwestern crow regularly brought food to an unmated female that was handicapped by deformities and partial blindness. The association lasted for at least 2 breeding seasons, even though the male was simultaneously pressed to feed young chicks in the nest.

"During 1635 minutes of observations by a precision-minded team of biologists, the male fed 

the young--66 times
deformed female--24 times
while his mate fed the young 89 times."

Candace Savage
Bird Brains
Sierra Club Books  1995
p. 80, 86

I know crows and ravens have their wicked side (as do we all), but I love crows. I love to watch them, hear them, and read about them.

Growing Is Fun,
Lonnie

"HOW" DOESN'T MATTER

"When Jesus encountered people who wanted His healing touch, He never questioned them about how they became sick."

Franklin Graham
The Name
Thomas Nelson Publishing  2002
p.169

What's more to say?

EverGrowing,
Lonnie

LITTLE TWIST TO THE RIGHT

"After hearing again and again that Jesus told his followers to forgive 70 x 7 (Matthew18:21-22), I finally pulled out my calculator one day. Unless my calculations are off, that's 490 times--and the highest I've ever gotten in practicing forgiveness was 3! If I still have 487 more times to forgive someone for my grievances against him or her, don't you think Jesus had a pretty good handle on how deep hurt can run . . . ?"

Kevin Leman
What Your Childhood Memories Say About You
Tyndale  2007
p144

Boy, I have to tell you, once I got past the fact that Leman had to use a calculator, I said, "That's a new twist; a little to the right, I think. And I love it!" I don't think I will ever see those well-known verses quite the same.

Jesus understands. He understands! Tell me the "picture" of that helps you as well.

Finishing Leman's quote helps still more. " . . . don't you think Jesus had a pretty good handle on how deep hurt can run and how many times we mess up in our relationships?

In other words, we ALL mess up. It's a little bit of the log and splinter thing. Yes, I'm hurt so deep that only God can reach and heal -- and He does. But, I'm not free of responsibility. I hurt others--maybe not the same ones who hurt me, but it's likely that someone is struggling to forgive me too. 

Would love to hear your thoughts on 70x7.

Growing to Love His Word More Every Day,
Lonnie

CHANGING LIVES--NOT LAWS

"Instead of fighting the government during the last forty years of communist rule, 'Chinese Christians devoted themselves to worship and evangelism, the original mission of the church,' Philip Yancey writes in What's So Amazing About Grace?. 'They concentrated on changing lives, not changing laws.'"

Joanna Weaver
Having A Mary Heart In A Martha World
Waterbrook Press   2007
p. 109

God, give me such a heart.

Willing to Grow,
Lonnie

NO TOLIET LAND

"If he [Andy, with internal problems, needed a bathroom and needed one soon.] ventured too far from the Salvation Army or the Ferry Terminal, he was in no-toliet land. Nine banks, 6 mortgage companies, 8 insurance companies, 10 attorney's offices, 3 jewelers, 4 art galleries, 6 antique stores, 2 tattoo parlors, 8 bars, and 2 restaurants make up the business core of the town, and none of them wanted the likes of Andy using their bathrooms."

Richard LeMieux
Breakfast At Sally's
Skyhorse Publishing  2008
p. 150

Really?! Can't use a bathroom? Mike and Sam, young college men in "Under The Overpass," by Mike Yankowski, experienced the same problem. If food and shelter aren't basic enough needs to be doing without, how often do we consider "this" basic need?

I try to put myself in the position of these business people; what would MY response be if a ragged looking, less than pleasant smelling person or family asked to use my restroom? And you?

Forgiven and Growing,
Lonnie

TERRIFIED

"Don't think Paul was not terrified at times. Of course he was. To think otherwise would minimize his faithfulness. Paul was afraid but his love for Christ exceeded his fear of suffering or death."

Beth Moore
To Live Is Christ
Broadman and Holman  2001
p. 166

Why would I have a file on fear?! Cause that's where I live? I suppose a good Christian shouldn't be so honest, but . . . sometimes, you just gotta be real.

What do I fear? Mostly finances; they've taken more hits than I can count. Freeways (When I merge into traffic, asking God for a wide berth, I remind Him that it isn't just "my" life at stake.) I fear the safety of our children, and fear for any unhappiness in their lives. I'm pretty afraid of people. I'm afraid of making a fool of myself or of someone thinking I don't live in a nice house--and that it's "my" fault.

But first, I have to tell you, "God's been faithful. I've never gone a day without food, warmth, hugs, a bed, or work. God has provided wide spaces in the middle of unbelieveable traffic--not just for the safety of "other" people, but just to show me that He is an Awesome, Able, and Loving God. Our children have had some close calls but we still have them and love them more than can be expressed. Their happiness? Oh man, I wish I could fix every booboo and broken heart! I can't.

What's exciting about today's quote, for me, is that "doing it afraid" can be a measure of faithfulness. I "do" still love my God and my Savior. I take no credit. Jude tells us that "He" keeps us from stumbling. This gives me a new goal--faithfulness, along with many opportunities to practice it.

Thank You, God.

Everyday, Growing,
Lonnie