Stop—Don’t Read another Word Until…!

You need to act on something right now. If you don’t do it immediately, you may lose your chance forever and regret it for the rest of your life. 

Your family, friends, neighbors, and loved ones long for that small or large gesture that show that you care about and love them. All about us, people feel alone and miserable even while telling you that they are fine.  Many people try to kill their pain and hopelessness with liquor, drugs, gambling, irresponsible sex, and other addictions.

Do you love someone trapped by unforgiveness, resentment, or hatred, maybe your neighbor, cousin, grandmother, or brother. Who is hurting in your family and neighborhood?   More important, how does that involve you and what can you do about it?

Maybe you need to comfort, forgive, or ask for forgiveness for something?  Perhaps you will never get the chance if you don’t do it now. Stop—don’t read another word until you try to reach someone you know who needs your special voice, your touch, and your forgiveness.

We just lost another family member to an untimely death this weekend.  Never again will he call; never again will he write another card or letter. Whatever unfinished business existed last week remains undone forever.

A whole string of family members departed this life way too soon in the past few years.  The deaths of young friends shocked us to the core.  No one ever promised us tomorrow.  It could be too late then.

Run to the phone, write a note, compose a private message on Facebook, or whatever, but reach out to someone precious today.  Let him/her know of your love, friendship, or concern. Give her comfort, forgive him, hug your child everyday, and don’t let the sun go down on your anger.  Laughing and enjoying life together adds layers of richness to our lives.

In the book of Mark in the Bible, a scribe asked Jesus what was the greatest commandment.  He answered:

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."

"And the second is like, namely this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."  Mark 12: 30-31 KJV

God Rocks

As a volunteer in a non-profit thrift store, I sort and process donated items.  In the pocket of a woman’s jacket, I found 80 cents, a paper clip, and a rock.  I put the money in the donation jar, saved the paper clip, and tossed the rock but wish I had saved it.

I wondered why someone would be toting a rock.  A few days later I watched “The Secret” on a DVR in my computer.  I realized that the rock was probably a “gratitude rock.”  You were supposed to find a special rock and carry it with you everywhere in purse or pocket. When you touched it, you were supposed to give thanks for all your blessings. 

People rely on so many things for good luck and great fortune.  The woman who owned the coat relied on the Secret.  Others rely on:

Fortune Telling

It is fun and exciting to visit a seer or fortuneteller who predicts your future.  They answer questions such as will you marry, how many children will you have, will you inherit a fortune, and other life mysteries.  Several well-known psychics work on popular TV shows or radio programs and reach millions of people.

Ouija Board

Many people have an eerie ouija board story of their own.  It too predicts the future by spelling out words with a plantar. Many speak of weird happenings when playing this game. It opens up corridors for evil to enter the lives of the players.

Séances

These are attempts to talk to deceased loved ones through a medium who tries to feel out the audience with open-end questions.  When someone responds positively, grandpa suddenly shows up with raps, taps, and ghostly wavering and tells the seeker about the money hidden in the walls, or whatever.

The truth

God knows you best.  He knows the number of your days and the keys to happiness and success in life.  Put your trust in Him when trouble threatens, circumstances change, and life becomes chaotic, as it always does sooner or later. 

Trust Him in all things, pray (talk to God), and show your gratitude. If a stone helps you remember to do that, then it is good. Put Him in charge of your future, past, and present and He will take you places you never thought possible.

God rocks and He wants to hear from YOU!

God Sends Angels

We found ourselves lifted up from the ground and flying through space.  “Hold on kids,” I yelled.  “We’re going to crash.”

“God help us!” one of the kids screamed.

The Bible talks about angels many times.  Many religious writings of the world include accounts of angels.  I always wondered if I would ever experience the presence of angels.  That day I found out the answer.

Candy on the hill

I owned a large Buick named Candy because of its creamy butterscotch color, one of the best and most faithful cars I ever owned.  However, today something went terribly wrong.

The hill

I started up a hill that everyone called the two-mile hill, Wheaton Hill in Springwater, NY.  Near the beginning of the upward climb, a small drop-off looms.  I never particularly noticed it and never had trouble on the hill before that day.

The car, full of kids, started up and veered out of control for no reason.  The road was clear; the weather good and the sun still lit our part of the world. 

Candy crossed the road and went directly into the path of an oncoming car.  I jerked the wheel to the right to avoid a collision and Candy spun in the other direction, aiming for the drop-off.  I tried to steer it straight but it started flying off the edge.  I just closed my eyes, afraid to look.  That is when I heard a child screaming for God to help us.

What happened?

I tried to figure out exactly what was happening.  I know we were in the air.  I felt the car lift up and then a thud.  Then it stopped.  I slowly opened my eyes and looked around.  We sat on the road facing the right way.  We all stared in stunned disbelief for a couple of minutes.  A toot behind us reminded me to continue our journey.

An angel

To this day, I believe that an angel sent from God used His power to save us from certain injuries, possibly death. Psalm 91.11 KJV says “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”

Your story?

Many people experience the help of angels in a time of danger or extreme circumstances, maybe even you.  Did an angel help you in such a way that you know nothing else could account for it?  I would love to hear your story.

Naked Rider and Other Tales

Mrs. X


The story goes something like this.  Mrs. X went crazy last night.  She ran out during a full moon, ripped her clothes off, and danced in the moonlight.  Then she saw the neighbor leave the pickup truck running when he got out.  She jumped in and started careening wildly through the streets.  She plowed into signs, mailboxes, and fences.  Then the naked rider gently drove back, parked the neighbor’s truck, went in her house, and told her husband she went for a walk.  

That story is so outrageous that hardly anyone believes it.  Or do they?  Those who hear will never look at Mrs. X in quite the same way again.  They will always entertain that nagging doubt, did she or didn’t she?

Mr. Z  

What about this story, a more believable one? 

Mr. Z held a yard sale all of last week.  He sold tons of stuff and more always appeared.  Someone claimed he fenced stolen goods.  Soon everyone buzzed about Mr. Z being a thief and a criminal.

People who heard this never quite trusted Mr. Z again even though he was a pillar of the community for many years.  Idle gossip ruined his reputation, perhaps forever.

Mrs. B

Mrs. B lives in a small town with her husband and two small boys.  Her brother lives in the apartment upstairs. 

Someone starts a rumor that Mrs. B is not really married to her husband.  They further state that she is in love with her brother and that he fathered the two children.  People start shunning her and the children.  They make up other stories about her peccadilloes and shortcomings.  Soon child services became involved, casting more suspicions on her life and failings.

Some idle gossip and rumors got out of hand and ruined the lives and social standings of five innocent people.

These stories are based on true to life cases about which I heard the sordid details, some circumstances altered to protect the innocent.

What the Bible Says

 No wonder that God hates gossip! The Bible refers to gossip and rumor mongering many times. 

 “God hates: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,
 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. :  Proverbs 6:17-19 KJV


What about you?

What will you decide?  

 Do you choose to spread gossip, lies, and rumors?  Or do you choose to honor God by uplifting and edifying others, as His word often commands?