THANKFUL THURSDAY...love abounds

Today is a special THANKFUL THURSDAY for me, I have so much to be grateful for today... but dear to my heart this evening is realizing that love truly does abound...

It's a love story. A story of two who loved each other so much, but found themselves apart so many times that they often wondered if truly love did abound?

Their story begins while their hearts were young and still in high school. Some would call it forbidden love. He pursued her heart, but she was unable to date until she was 18 years old. So a friendship developed instead over their final year in high school. The summer after graduation, she turned 18 and the minute she turned of age, he found himself on her doorstep.

LOVE ABOUNDS.

A summer of courtship soon ended when she went off to college in another city. Leaving him behind, he continued in his daily schedule of working, sleeping, and eating. But during it all, his heart beat for her. Missing her while she was so far away. The phones calls. The letters. The e-mails. It was the beat in his heartbeat.

LOVE ABOUNDS.

After a year of separation, he enlisted in the military. This decision could possibly cost him his heart and his love. The separation would now take them futher miles apart. Would their love withstand the test of time?

LOVE ABOUNDS.

Two years have gone by. She in college and him going from base to base in different states. The distance between them allowed infrequent visits, but many phones calls, letters, and e-mails soon strengthened their friendship and love. Possibly distance does make the heart fonder?

LOVE ABOUNDS.

Just when the distance seemed unbearable, the orders came in for him... OVERSEAS for the next year. She had one more year of college...could their love possibly withstand this kind of distance?

LOVE ABOUNDS.

One final leave before going overseas, the airman finds his way home to see the love of his life. Trying to make time stand still, and making the most of their precious time together, he arranges a night for her to remember. A cruise on a boat down the Mississippi river, followed by a dinner at her favorite italian restuarant. The evening takes a turn when he takes his true love on a horse and buggy ride. Just as the sun was setting, he asks the driver of the carriage to stop. He gets down on his knee and asks this beautiful woman he has loved for so long to be his wife. She accepts.

LOVE ABOUNDS.

This is not a made up love story. This truly happened. The airman in this story is my son Jeremy and the beautiful woman is his beloved Rachel. Tomorrow at 4 pm, they will be married. A whirlwind romance that has survived time, survived distance and survived the odds. The romantic proposal happened a little over a week ago and before he leaves to serve our country in korea next week, he wanted no more distance to be between them. This is their love story. Love DOES abound! (y'all can say awwww now!)

PHILIPPIANS 1:9

"and this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more..."

The love of God also abounds. And He is looking for His bride (the church) to be ready for the time that is near. In the book of Revelation, it tells us to rejoice! "Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready."

THANK YOU FOR LOVE THAT ABOUNDS!

For other grateful hearts, you can visit Iris who hosts THANKFUL THURSDAY and read more thankful posts. FIND THEM HERE!

A PIECE OF MY HEART...sand dunes

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A SAND DUNE?

Throughout the world, there are places where the wind will pile sand into strange and wonderful hills and ridges and this is called dunes. Each sand dune is different in its own way.

Each shape is determined according to how much sand there is and what kind of sand is available to be blown into dunes. The direction of the wind is also essential in forming sand dunes.

Alot of the sand you observe today was once part of a rock. Rocks may seem indestructible, but they are not. You can crush a rock down into fine sand particles. Nature has several ways of changing rock into sand.

The formation of sand dunes reminds me of how God can form each of his children into something different but yet wonderful. Much like the rock that can be grinded down and made into something new....so does the power of the blood of Jesus that can work on us and make us a new creation.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

Is God shaping you?
What formation is God working on in you?

If you need some fine tuning in your spirit...go to the ROCK!

and that's a piece of my heart today;

AT THE WELL.... raising boys

We are gathering AT THE WELL today as we pursue to be more like the TITUS 2 WOMAN. Lori @ http://allyouhavetogive.blogspot.com/ is our topic host today and she is leading the discussion around THE WELL today about raising boys.

From my heart to yours...

The topic today is one that I can definitely relate to. RAISING SONS. I have 3 sons that are a pure blessing.

Raising sons can be a challenge in today's world. But not impossible!

My 3 sons are grown (ages 25, 23, 18) and they each have their own unique talents, creativity and goals. One thing they all have in common is that they are living for God. Now that is an answer to prayer.

If I could give advice to other Mom's raising sons it would be 3 things...

1. BE A GODLY EXAMPLE TO YOUR SON

In today's society it is no secret that a good percentage of our sons are being raised by single moms, or without a father figure in their lives. The Bible clearly says that fathers should be the spiritual leader in their home, but when a godly father is absent (or even absent in body) - this is when the Mom needs to step in and set the example. If at all possible, if a godly father is absent in the relationship, seek out a godly man in your church, or a grandfather, or an uncle who can be the role model that will show integrity, honesty, love for others and most importantly love for God to your son. Children learn by example. They learn by watching. Our sons need to learn how to be a godly man.

As a mom, instruct your son in the ways of the Lord. Live your faith in front of him. Give him a reason to trust God. Instruction is not only for spiritual things, but also instruct those boys how to be a helpmate. Teach them to iron their pants, wash their clothes, bake a pie, sew a button on their shirt. Model to them how to balance a checkbook by not overdrawing your checking account. Teach them to live on a budget by not over charging your credit cards. Teach them to serve others by serving your neighbors.

2. SET BOUNDARIES

One of the things that our sons will battle with the most as they begin to grow into men is temptation and living within boundaries. Teens today are faced with so much more than we were when we were teens. The temptation is great for them. The world is screaming at them "if it feels good... do it!"

Learning to resist temptation is a boundary we put in place. Teaching our sons to live within boundaries begins at an early age. Begin instilling boundaries and stick to your guns about them. If a child can learn the boundary principle at an early age it won't be quite as difficult as a teen to try to instill boundaries such as "no girls in the house when nobody else is home" or "no r-rated movies in our home".

If you set boundaries for your child...live within your own boundaries. If you say "no r-rated movies" then refrain from watching r-rated movies yourself. Pretty much "practice what you preach" principle applies here.

3. LOVE UNCONDITIONALLY

I have seen it all with 3 sons. Every excuse has been used. One thing that I have learned is that along the way I have messed up! and along the way my sons have messed up! We are human and no one person is perfect.

Love your son unconditionally. When he makes a mistake or makes a poor choice, love him. Let him know that you will always love him no matter what.

After all isn't that what the love of God does for us?

Even though I am a sinner, my heavenly Father waits with open arms to receive me. That's the kind of mom I want to be - to be waiting with open arms to receive my sons.

PLEASE VISIT AT THE WELL FOR OTHER THOUGHTS ON RAISING SONS!

A PIECE OF MY HEART....sand dunes

HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A SAND DUNE?

Throughout the world, there are places where the wind will pile sand into strange and wonderful hills and ridges and this is called dunes.

Each sand dune is different in its own way. Each shape is determined according to how much sand there is and what kind of sand is available to be blown into dunes. The direction of the wind is also essential in forming sand dunes.

Alot of the sand you observe today was once part of a rock. Rocks may seem indestructible, but they are not. You can crush a rock down into fine sand particles. Nature has several ways of changing rock into sand.

The formation of sand dunes reminds me of how God can form each of his children into something different but yet wonderful. Much like the rock that can be grinded down and made into something new....so does the power of the blood of Jesus that can work on us and make us a new creation.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17
"Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come."

Is God shaping you?

What formation is God working on in you?

and that's a piece of my heart today;

STICKS AND STONES...July 26th weekly devotion

thank you for joining us for this weeks devotion. The words we speak are so powerful. I pray that God will speak to you thru His Word today...

Virtually everything that people perceive about us, revolves around words. God made the world with WORDS. He promised Abraham a land and a nation and made David the king with WORDS. And it was with WORDS that Jesus attracted large crowds, encouraged the weak, shamed the wicked, and taught us the meaning of God's kingdom. There is power in the WORDS that we speak!

Some people might think that Solomon is overstating his case in Proverbs 13:3. He says that the power of life and death is in the tongue. Foolish and sinful talk can start a path toward death. People are murdered over words. Words can literally decide survival or death to many...

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me".

What an incredibly famous saying but how terribly incorrect it is! Foolish words can lead to rejection, loss of a career, or the beginning of a feud. The FRUIT of wise words, however, can gain a friend, mend a broken marriage, secure a career or restore a relationship. Words can hurt and they do hurt. Not only the speaker, but the one who hears them.

In Gods Word, we see that Solomon compares the effect of destructive words to a sword. Literal death may result from harsh words over a long period of time. How long before these words would take residence and bring a slow death to you?

"You sure do have a big nose! Have you considered having that fixed?"

"I'm tired of the house always looking like a mess...can't you do anything right around here?"

"I asked for this report yesterday, I can't count on you for anything!"

"I told you to clean your room, I told your Mom you were good for nothing!"

The alternative to stabbing someone with words is to use words that heal. There are two steps to follow to use healing words: first, you must refuse to use hurtful words and secondly, speaking healing words means to look for opportunities to encourage and uplift. Just like the doctors who become skillful with their hands, so should followers of Christ - to become experts at encouraging!

WORDS REALLY DO HAVE POWER!
A righteous man uses words to help others, to lift them up sincerely, and to promote humility. Protecting the reputation of others, giving out helpful knowledge, encouraging those who need it, speaking with modesty and being truthful and kind with our words will all bear fruit. Sure people are attracted to foul talk and gossip, however, when life gets serious, and when the rubber meets the road (so to speak), people would much rather have a friend they can trust and whose words are wise.

Last week in the YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I polled the readers and asked which verbal vice irritated them the most and the top 3 responses were:

1. 36% polled said that what irritates them is when someone uses insulting, denigrating language.

2. 27% of those polled said that people who spout off ill-informed opinions is irritating.

3. 18% said that talking negatively or using insincere flattering words really irritates them.

Clearly our tongue is one of the most powerful tools we have. God highly values words. The ability to speak is one of the things that we have in common with God; it is part of His image in us. Therefore, we are walking in His footsteps when we learn to use words to help and not to harm.

PROV. 12:14 "A man will be satisfied with good by the words of his mouth, and the work of a man's hands will reward him."

PROV. 12:18 "There is one who speaks rashly, like a piercing sword; but the tongue of the wise brings healing."

PROV. 13:3 "The one who guards his mouth protects his life; the one who opens his lips invites his own ruin."

PROV. 18:2 "A fool does not delight in understanding, but only wants to show off his opinions."

PROV. 18:18 "A gossip's words are like choice food that goes down to one's innermost being."

PROV. 18:13 "The one who gives an answer before he listens - this is foolishness and disgrace for him."

PROV. 18:21 "Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit."

PROV. 21:23 "The one who guards his mouth and tongue keeps himself out of trouble."

PROV. 29:5 "A man who flatters his neighbor spreads a net for his feet."

James compares the tongue to the bit in a horse's mouth or the rudder of a ship (James 3:3-4). A horse is a large, magnificent animal controlled by a small rod in its mouth. Ships are even larger, yet they are controlled by a small rectangle called the rudder. Likewise, the tongue has so much influence (like the rudder or the bit) even though it is small in size.

WHAT KIND OF INFLUENCE DOES YOUR TONGUE HAVE?

WHAT DO YOUR WORDS DO FOR OTHERS?

do they encourage and uplift?

or destroy?

Consider the influence and power that your words have or better yet the POTENTIAL that your words have in someone's life today.

YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL: Please take time to cast your vote in this weeks poll (located on the side bar of this blog). This weeks question is: "What prevents you from being the best family member that you can be?" YOUR OPINION MATTERS!

THANKFUL THURSDAY...more than conquerors

HAVE YOU EVER FELT SAD BUT NOT SURE WHY?

Today, even though I am surrounded by my family - I have felt a heavy heart. I cannot explain it but my heart for some reason seemed sad. Nothing in particular, just a sadness.

I shouldn't be sad at all. In fact I am happy.

>I am having the time of my life on vacation with my family.

>I am ecstatic that last weekend my son, Jeremy proposed to Rachel and they plan to be married in a week.

>I am thankful for the opportunity my son is having to go overseas and serve our country in korea in just two weeks.

>I am so blessed that my oldest son David is doing extremely well in Baltimore where he just landed a teacher assistant job.

So many great and wonderful things going on in my family.

I AM HAPPY. But yet I felt sad today.

HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED THIS?

I read tonight in Romans...
chapter 8, verse 37
"Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."

This week on this THANKFUL THURSDAY I am reminded that no matter what THINGS come our way that God has created us to be conquerors! That does not mean just some things, but ALL things!

I AM THANKFUL that thru God I am able to conquer...
sadness
anxiety
pressure
stress
broken promises
mistrust
false hope

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO CONQUER TODAY?

Trust God in ALL things because He loves you!

FIND MORE grateful hearts over at

Iris's place at STING MY HEART.

NEGOTIATION...a piece of my heart

This week I am on vacation with my family. We left early Sunday morning and drove for a very long 13 hour drive until we reached our destination ....WISCONSIN. My son who will be leaving soon to serve our country over in Korea wanted to spend some time with family that lives here in Green Bay.

If any of you are football fans, especially if you are Green Bay Packer football fans, you know that right now is a very sad and controversial time for the Packer fans. If you have not lived in a town that supports a NFL team, then you can not imagine what it is like around this town of Green Bay. Literally, the fans take football issues very seriously!

Tomorrow we are taking the kids to tour the Lambeau field and visit the Green Bay Packer Hall of Fame. Our 12 year old daughter has one goal in mind...to see ANYTHING of Brett Favre's! Of course the controversy in this town right now is surrounded around this great football quarterback and that #4 jersey. My daughter doesn't really care about all of that ...she just wants to get close to something that Brett Favre has worn, thrown, touched or signed!

So what's the controversy? Are you kidding...guess you haven't been in Green Bay lately if you ask that. Brett Favre who retired last year now wants to get back in the game but wants the Green Bay Packers (who made him what he is) to release him of his contract. The Green Bay Packers have a problem with doing that.

All of this talk about Favre being committed (or lack of) to this town, to this team, reminds me of how sometimes we put people, such as professional sports figures or politicians up on a pedestal. And when they fall off the pedestal we have put them on or when they choose a different direction we turn our back on them and find ourselves so shocked that they are not as committed as you once thought they were.

This trust that we put in others is so easily broken. The only one that I have found I can totally, completely put my trust in is Jesus Christ. He will not retire. He will not choose a different team. He will not tear up our contract. He will always be what He says He will be. He is our everything!

Brett may or may not come back to the football game.

He may or may not play for the Green Bay Packers again.

He may choose to play for another team.

When it comes to God's team, I am so glad that He chose me to be one His most valued players!

1 PETER 2:9

"but you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light."

You might find yourself negotiating for a lot

of different things...however....

God's LOVE, FORGIVENESS and GRACE is non -negotiable.

Wont' you accept it?

and that's a piece of my heart today;

AT THE WELL...Titus 2 Woman

TITUS 2 WOMAN

What does that mean to you?

Some time ago, a new blogging friend of mine, Chelsey Hall over at joyfullyliving.blogspot invited me to be part of a new weekly Meme "AT THE WELL...in pursuit of Titus 2 woman". Just the name of this ministry excited me .... because it meant christian women would be encouraging other christian women!

Today is the very first edition of AT THE WELL, and from now on, each Monday, you will find me and a host of other fine christian ladies leading this discussion of embracing the TITUS 2 WOMAN in the twentieth century!

You will enjoy the wide range of different writers and I have taken a sneak peak at some of the topics that some of these ladies are planning to write about and it is going to be PHENOMINAL! You will not want to miss one Monday. Each writer will be posting the subject for the week and some discussion questions that all of us can be a part of. I AM SO EXCITED!

Chelsey is kicking us off today with asking the question,

"What is a Titus 2 Woman?"

FROM MY HEART to YOURS....

"Being a Titus 2 Woman is what I am pursuing. I have not reached it but I continue to strive for it.

When I think of the passage in Titus, chapter 2 I think of a woman who is a role model to others. One who exemplifies the life and the love that Christ has extended to us. A Titus 2 woman is one who is loving, caring, supporting, encouraging and a lifter of heads. She models her life after Christ; she models her ambitions after Christ; she models her choices after Christ and she is a model FOR Christ in all that she does.

She is not perfect, but she strives to pursue Christ with such a passion that those around her take notice. She is a shaker in her world. Not afraid to share Christ in her walk and in her talk.

Wow...a long way before I achieve this...but it is a great and awesome pursuit to chase!"

CLICK HERE to join us

over AT THE WELL this week!

PURSUIT OF WISDOM...weekly devotion

Thank you for joining us for this weeks devotion. It is my prayer that your heart will be challenged as we look at Gods Word!

A lot of people do not know the difference between intelligence, knowledge, and wisdom. INTELLIGENCE is the ability to learn, and there are different kinds of intelligence for different kinds of learning. KNOWLEDGE is the deposit of facts, memories, and experiences that we can recall. WISDOM is not the same as intelligence or knowledge - it is understanding how life works!

Wisdom comes from two sources: observation and divine inspiration. A lot of wisdom can be learned just from paying attention in life. You have heard the old proverbs that often reflect wisdom, such as "Crime doesn't pay" or "The early bird gets the worm" - this indicates wisdom that comes from observation. But some wisdom goes beyond what we can observe - it comes from God our Creator!

Solomon started his career with great wisdom (but later was seduced), early in Solomon's career he collected wise sayings. He was inspired by God to recognize great wisdom and start collecting it along with his own proverbs. The book of Proverbs is like Solomon's wisdom journal; a combination of wisdom that he collected and sayings that he wrote. Solomon was a patient teacher. He collected and wrote thousands of proverbs in his journal under the inspiration of God. These are not just Solomon's ideas, but also God's ideas as He worked through Solomon.

I have often thought that a person had to be advanced in years to be wise. In my imagination, I can picture a wise old man with a long, flowing grey beard walking with a cane. Someone who has wisdom is not necessarily old in age. It is never too early to start learning wisdom and it is never too late to renew your passion for learning.

Wise people were highly valued in ancient Israel and in other cultures as well. Just as government leaders today have advisers, so did ancient kings. They had wise men that they consulted. This kind of advising had more to do with the general skill of life and dealing with people than it did with specific knowledge. NOW THIS WAS WISDOM!

Last week, I polled readers in the weekly poll the following question: "Which area is most likely to get you into trouble?" The top results in the poll...

63% of those polled said that the words that come out of their mouth gets them in trouble.

18% of readers said 3 different things get them in trouble...financial matters, lack of desire to work hard at things they need to, and a quick temper.

Have you ever messed up and think to yourself

"I'm NEVER going to do that again!"

but find yourself making the same mistake?

WHEN ARE WE GOING TO LEARN TO MAKE WISER DECISIONS?

A person can observe life and learn to act wisely in many ways: avoiding arguments, valuing friendship, watching words, disciplining children, and many others. A person who is wise in such matters but DOES NOT fear the Lord is missing a great deal! This type of person is more about personal gain than respect for God.

TRUE WISDOM IS RELATED TO GOD!

God is a fortress for those who fear Him

PROVERBS 10:29

"The way of the Lord is a stronghold for the honorable, but destruction awaits the malicious."

Some of the best movie scenes are when people have unusual skills. For instance, when a spy pulls out a machine the size of a credit card, inserts it into a code-locked door, and breaks the entry code or when the crime-lab tech uses lab techniques to match fibers from a purse-strap to prove the guilt of a psychopathic murderer. (yea...I watch too many CSI episodes!)

Can you imagine being so skilled at life as this? Imagine approaching a conversation with that unruly relative and having the exact tool you need! You use your specialized tool to take the right actions to obtain that better opportunity at work.

This type of wisdom is not helpful unless it places God at the center of our lives. Becoming successful at managing conflict or handling finances will not take you to the highest levels of wisdom, but it is a good place to start. Wisdom requires genuine character and wisdom takes work, motivation and most importantly, the fear of the Lord.

ARE YOU PURSUING WISDOM?

WHAT STEPS ARE YOU TAKING TO OBTAIN

THE SKILLS TO BE WISE IN ALL THAT YOU DO?

PROVERBS 1:2-7 "For gaining wisdom and being instructed; for understanding insightful sayings; (3)for receiving wise instruction (in) righteousness, justice, and integrity; (4)or teaching shrewdness to the inexperienced, knowledge and discretion to a young man - (5)a wise man will listen and increase his learning, and a discerning man will obtain guidance -(6)for understanding a proverb or a parable, the words of the wise, and their riddles. (7)The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."

YOUR OPINION MATTERS....Please vote in this weeks poll, "What verbal vice irritates you the most?" You can vote on the side bar of this blog page. Thanks for voting!

LETTERS TO GOD

I searched for a unique video to share with everyone on this THEN SINGS MY SOUL SATURDAY. Usually, I post a favorite hymn or praise song that ministers to my heart. However, I came across this video this week and it brought a big smile to my face, so I wanted to share it with all of you. Ohh... to have the faith of a child.

click here

to view the LETTERS TO GOD video!

MATTHEW 17:20 "And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, `Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you."

HAVE A MOUNTAIN IN YOUR WAY?

.... WRITE A LETTER TO GOD AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS!

Join AMY and the other worshipful hearts over at SIGNS, MIRACLES and WONDERS for more Then Sings My Soul Saturday videos! CLICK HERE!

THANKFUL THURSDAY....water

I do not take the luxury of RUNNING WATER for granted! My husband just returned from a missions trip to South America. I was not able to attend this year but two years ago I went to this very place that he labored for the past week...ECUADOR. This is a very poor place to visit. It makes the poorest thing you have ever seen or heard of in the United States seem like luxury. Many homes are what I consider huts, with no windows, no electricity and definitely no air conditioning! Some of the roadside eateries that I visited 2 years ago had no running water.

Now think about that for a moment...

No running water means no way of washing dishes.

No running water means no way of washing your hands.

No running water means no way of flushing the commode or sanitizing your hands afterwards.

I cannot imagine life in my home without running water. So today, on this THANKFUL THURSDAY, I would like to give thanks for W A T E R!!

YI AM THANKFUL for the water that runs freely so I can rinse my vegetables!

YI AM THANKFUL for the water that nourishes my yard so my plants can grow!

YI AM THANKFUL for the water that satisfies my thirst!

YI AM THANKFUL for the water that flows easily out of the shower head so I can become refreshed and clean!

I am thankful for water....water is so refreshing!

HOW ABOUT THE LIVING WATER?

JOHN 7:37b-38 " 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.' (38) He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water."

* THE LIVING WATER runs freely!

* Does THE LIVING WATER not give our souls nourishment?

* THE LIVING WATER will satisfy me!

* With THE LIVING WATER, I have the ability to be refreshed!

* THE LIVING WATER renews and cleanses my spirit!

THANK YOU LORD FOR THE WATER!

What are you grateful for today?
Please join our grateful hearts

with Iris over at STING MY HEART!

A PIECE OF MY HEART...salt of the earth

Recently, my husband and I went to the beach on vacation. We LOVE the beach. The sounds of the waves. Riding the big waves. Snorkeling. The warm sand in between our toes. The romantic walks down the beach at evening. Digging for sand crabs. Discovering hidden treasure buried underneath the sand, like unique seashells.

There is one thing that I DO NOT like and that is when the salty water gets in my mouth or in my eyes.

Have you ever wondered why fresh water fish cannot live in salt water? The salt water fish are adapted to salt water conditions. There are many other minerals in salt water besides salt that many species of fish need. They need those other minerals in order to survive or they would die in fresh water.

Have you ever considered Matthew chapter 5 that refers to us as the salt of the earth? If we do not share our faith with others, they will surely die. Much like the salt water fish - we have the ingredient unbelievers need to survive!

MATTHEW 5:13-16
"You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. 'You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."

PURPOSE OF SALT
" You are the salt of the earth. " Jesus emphasises to the disciples that they have both the calling and the responsibility to be influences in the world. Salt has a number of effects :

1. AS A SEASONING
It improves the taste of the food that it comes into contact with, and so as we come into contact with society, our Christian values should improve the nature of those we come in contact with.

2. SALT MAKES PEOPLE THIRSTY
As Christians, we should seek to create a thirst in people's lives that can only be satisfied by Jesus, who said : "if anyone is thirsty, let him come to me me and drink" (John 7:37)

3. SALT IS USED TO THAW ICE ON ROADS
So it can have the effect of warming hearts that have hardened against the gospel - over time, the saltiness of Christians can bring people to know Jesus Christ.

4. SALT USED AS A PRESERVATIVE
Salt gives food an improved length of life. Ultimately, with enough salt, those who do know Jesus, and acknowledge Him as Lord and Saviour, will have eternal life.

ARE YOU BEING THE
SALT IN YOUR WORLD?

And that's a piece of my heart today,

MARY vs. MARTHA...July 13, 2008 weekly devotion

Thank you for joining us for this week's devotion. It is my prayer that you will be challenged by the Word of God today!

LUKE 10:38-42

"While they were traveling, He entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home. (39) She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord's feet and was listening to what He said. (40) But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, 'Lord, don't You care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.' (41) The Lord answered her, 'Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, (42) but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.' "

This story often times tends to send people into a "pro-Mary" camp or a "pro-Martha" camp. Those who have had a life history of having the work dumped in their laps often feel quite defensive of Martha, while those who have felt themselves to be victims of "workaholic naggers" tend to rally to Mary's side.

Today, I would like to ask each of us to avoid taking one side or the other. Most of us have at least a little of Mary in us as well as a little bit of Martha. Learning the timing of when to let the "Mary" come out and when to let "Martha" come out is the challenge for us to consider. This means understanding that Jesus was NOT saying that being like Mary was right in every situation! Mary was just taking the right course of action in this particular situation.

SETTING THE RIGHT PRIORITIES

If our priority is to please people, we will have a hard time to slow down! There is always someone around we want to please, and oftentimes, the more we do, the more we have to do to please them.

Perhaps Martha was this kind of person. We can only imagine the situation...

The Master had chosen her house as the place for His disciples to gather and eat. What a social gathering! The person many of them had become convinced was the long-awaited Messiah was going to eat at her home! She would put out her best table service. The entire house would be spotless. The meal would be the one that people talked about for years. This would be her moment to shine!

But Martha had chosen to please people, to shine in the eyes of others instead of following Christ. When we are unable to choose between priorities we lose control. Stephen Covey, author of 7 Habits of Highly Effective People realized this when he gave us habit #3 -"Put first things first!" Wow...isn't that what Christ also tells us to do?

Many times we cannot put first things first because we get distracted. In last week's YOUR OPINION MATTERS POLL, I asked the question "What are you most likely to be distracted from?" The top 3 results were:

1. 38% of those polled said they are distracted by noisy children.
2. 23% voted and said the thought of an unfinished task distracts them.
3. 19% said that ticking clocks, music on the radio, nearby traffic throws them off of track.

What kind of things distract you from making priorities in your life?

In your worship? In your prayer time?

When we put Jesus Christ first as our top priority, we must take time to sit and listen at His feet! How else would we receive our marching orders?

Martha had evidently not consulted Christ about time priorities when she was getting things ready. Did He want to eat right away? or delay it until after He had time to teach? Martha's error or distraction may have been setting up the evening according to her own time schedule.

Isn't that we do? Instead of taking matters to Christ for His direction, we get distracted with our own agenda and our own schedule.

It is my prayer and desire that I will be like Mary and Martha all wrapped into one. Both of them had desirable qualities and a heart for God. I am much like Martha, working out all of the important details. The OCD in Martha (and me!!) is not the mistake...preparation and timing is the key so that when the time to be with the guest (the Master) - all the details can be put aside.

Oh, how I want to be like Mary - who desired to sit at the feet of Jesus to listen. Praying is a time of talking to God and LISTENING to God.

MATTHEW 7:7 "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you."

It is my prayer that we will purpose in our hearts to sit at the feet of Jesus on a regular basis. A servant leader who does so on a regular basis will also be the one who is ready when it comes time to serve.

ARE YOU A MARY and A MARTHA?

YOUR OPINION MATTERS: Please take time to vote in this week's poll located on the side bar of the blog. You will find the results in next weeks devotion. THANK YOU.