Tag: love (Page 2 of 3)

Three things to Do to Cope in This Not so Friendly World

November 23, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Another Monday! Like the lyrics says, “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down.” It is raining and it is Monday. Any Questions?

Actually I am doing fine. There is nothing about Mondays that should be any different since I am retired. Every day is a Saturday for me.

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Now we have to wait and see what the world has in store for us today. Should be very interesting with all the clamor going on around us. The pandemic, the unknown out come of the election in the United States, and of course, the ever popular rioting.

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I have taken all of those on with incredible courage and valor. Let’s look at each one.

The pandemic is the hardest one for me.

I have been on lock down since March. I have some health issues that the virus would love to attack. But why should I pout and scream?

Jesus, was going through an awful lot more than I can even grasp in His life time. He never pouted or screamed. He kept loving the people no matter what.

The election outcome is not known yet.

“When will they ever learn, when will they ever learn.” Another lyrics that is a very sad song. This election years has been a nightmare from the beginning until now. Constant attacks on our president from the Democrats. Then the election it self seems tainted. What should we do?

Always remember, God is in Charge! He will allow the right person to be elected. It may not be who you or I really wanted, but God knows what is best for us.

The rioting has started up again.

In Portland, Oregon rioters attacked the homes of the council that voted to not defund the police. This is beyond wrong. They aren’t rioting because no justice, they are rioting to bring our country down. What should we do?

Stand very strong against violent rioting. God knows what is going on, and He has a plan. We just have to be patient, and let Him do the right thing.

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Through all of this turmoil, how are you doing? Do you have problems coping?

Pray for God to guide you each and every day. Take His hand and hold on tight. He loves you, and will not have you face anything that you can not handle.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

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Be Strong Through the Storms of Life

November 2, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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It has been quite a ride for me the last eight months.

The pandemic has placed me in lock down. Only doctor’s appointments and family gatherings that everyone has to wear masks and keep the right distance. Haven’t hugged one of my children during this whole time.

This plus the election, (that ends tomorrow, thank God.) Don’t forget the rioting, wild fires, looting, shootings, etc. Pretty dismal path we have to walk.

How do I handle it? Well, it is hard, at best, for me to stay positive, but positive I am.

Why?

All storms come to an end.
God is in charge.
He is only a prayer away.
He will not allow us to have more than we can handle.
He loves us. He made us in his image. He wouldn’t do that if He didn’t love us.

Those statements are my fortress against depression, and feeling lost.

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So what is happening in your neighborhood?

Are you standing strong, or is the world loading you down with worry? I certainly hear you, but the most wonderful thing you and I can do for our families, is to be a strong leader and always show that we are positive.

If we show a poor me attitude, so will those around you.

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Never let the dark side overcome you.

The dark side would love to drag you down into the muck and mire. Look for the light which is Jesus.

Yes, these are very troubling times. This, however, is when the tough get going. They face the storms head on. They lead others to freedom of fear.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

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We Have Aches and Pains. We Need Reach Out to God for Help

October 26, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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I have been having a ton of doctor’s appointments lately. I had to go to Neurologist because I had bad tremors on my left hand. She did a Botox procedure on it, and unfortunately it didn’t do anything. I still have my tremor.

Then I went to a throat specialist to see what was wrong with my throat. My voice was raspy and hoarse all the time. The doctor stuck a hose through my nose down into the throat. He said everything looks great there, and that my hoarseness and raspy voice was just due to old age.

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That knocked me down a few notches. I went last week to have a procedure to expand my esophagus. That was successful. I not chocking as much. It seems like I have a lot of issues. Last Thursday, I had Cataract surgery on my right eye. It went great and I can see much better with that eye.

They do the left eye in a week.

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What is hitting me right between the eyes is that my body isn’t like it was when I was 21. The aging process is hard to take. It slows you down. You have aches and pains. Poor me!

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I have just decided that I should be thankful that God has given me another day. He is in charge. He knows my aches and pains. He knows about my throat. He knows about my eyes.

I should be enjoying each day. I should think it is my last, and do everything I can to help others and myself. I need to awake my weary soul and sing praises to the lord.

Are you going through similar things? Do you have more aches and pains than you would like to have? Does the day seem to drag along?

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I hear you! It is hard, at best, to live each day this way. The only solution for me is to give all my pain and agony to God. He has big shoulders. He will ease your your pain, and give the love you need to feel.

Be strong for yourself, and for others. It seems to work for me to reach out to someone that is hurting, and give them hope and love. It comes back to me and makes me feel better too.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Idols Will Fade Away, But Not God

October 12, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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What is an idol? It is something you love more than God. It is taking the place of God. Do your idols control you?

We all have idols. They could be something material, or it could be someone in your life. Here are some examples of both:

A fancy car.
That great boat of yours.
Joe Biden, or President Trump.
A huge mansion.
That Harley Davidson.

There are many more that I can think of, but this gives you an idea.

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In Biblical times the Egyptians had hundreds of idols. One came back to haunt them. The frogs came into their homes and everywhere else, as one of the plagues. (There are only so many frog legs you can eat.) However, the most important one for them seemed to be the sun.

The worshipped the sun everyday. They offered sacrifices to it. Idols can destroy you like it did the Egyptians back then.

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Do you have idols? Are they more important to you than God? What do you need to do to put God first in your life? I suggest spending time in the Bible every day. The Word is wisdom. It can’t be destroyed like some idols.

I have learned that I need to use my time wisely. I am not sure how many breaths I have left. I want to use them to worship God and to share His love. I can’t say that I don’t have time for God. He should be first, and I should be spending most of my time with Him.

Do you feel more atoned to your I-Phone, or your Fit Bit watch than to God? They can become idols. My wife tells me that I spend far too much time on my I-Phone. I checked and I have to agree. I average 7 hours a day on the phone. Ridiculous!

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Put together your priorities. My I-Phone should be near the bottom of the list.

Here is some of my priorities:

God
Family
Church
Reach out to help
Always have a positive attitude.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

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I Need to Check Out of This Evil Hotel Called Earth

October 5, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

What a fun time we are having right now. The Pandemic is not letting up. The rioting is still going on. The wild fires are wilder than ever.

It is almost like we are on spin cycle in our own washing machines!! It is crazy, and we are holding on for dear life.

That reminds me of a story about my mother.

When she was a teenager she was out riding her horse. The horse stepped in a yellow jackets nest and the horse got stung several times. The horse started running and was out of control. My mother just held on for dear lfe. The horse was running back to the farm. When they got there he calmed down.

Is your life on spin cycle? Are you out of control like my mother’s horse was?

This is the time we have to listen to God. He says, “Be still and know I am God.”

A good example of relying on God happened in the wild fires near me in Oregon.

A man was trapped, and the fires were burning all around him. He got a plastic chair and sat it in a river he was near and waited it out. He was saved by praying and God gave Him the answer.

I am sure that many of you are screaming, “Stop and let me out of this house. “(earth)

It can be very frustrating.

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With all of this going on we may be thinking, “Why am I here?”

Let me make this clear to you. God created you in His own image. Why would He do that? It is becasue He loves you and considers you His child. He has plans for you. He may have not showed you His plan yet, but be patient. God is on His own timing not yours.

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Here is a little side note that I thought of yesterday while I was watching the online broadcast of my church.

I would love to have been at the tomb when Jesus came out! Wouldn’t that Have been a glorious moment?

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all….never, ever, give up!

There Are Benefits to Facing Trials

September 25, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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There are very trying times right now, with the pandemic, rioting, and wild fires. There are some things I have seen while facing trials:

We draw closer to God and others.
We see things more clearly.
We become more compassionate.

It happens time after time.

I am from Oregon and we have been devasted with wild fires. People have died and over 600 homes destroyed. This would normaly cause widespread depression, and panic.

It is not happening.

The people who lost their homes are out helping others to sift through the rubble to try to find some memories for them. People in my neighborhood have opened their doors for those displayed. People have volunteered to hand out water, food, and masks.

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People are very tired of the rioting, and have bonded together to confront the rioters. It is not pretty, but the rioters are gettng the message.

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Here are some more thoughts I love to share. You also seem to like them. (Let me know)

Forget what others think you are.
God is love, so we sshould love one another.
Perfect love casts out fear.
Praying is not just for praying. It is to speak to God.
Reading the Bible is not the goal. The goal is to grow spiritually while reading the Bible.
Only through death can we find life.
Every pain, every disappointment, is covered by Jesus’s love.
Live life like you are expecting Jesus to come.
Be joyful; be prayful, and be grateful. (Always without ceasing)
Through affliction, we know that God will do something greater.
We need to be more concerned about God’s glory.
We should obey God even if we are in pain.
If one suffers all of us suffer. If one is honored, all of us are glad.
Envy: Painful or resentful of some one’s possession. Leads to dissatisfacton, discontentment.
Always look at the cross. It reminds you to trust.
Are we just living, or are we living life well?
Are we trusting the Lord to lead us, or are we wanting the Lord to do things our way?
Are we mangaing our time to serve the Lord; our responsiblities, or our relationships?
Do we need to be desparate to read the Bible? Are we willing to let God give us the desire to do so?
You come to a crossroad. There only two directions to go. Left is wisdom, and the right is folly. Which way will you go?

I always suggest you go through those thoughts one at a time and ponder them. Much wisdom could come from them.

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What is your life like?

Are you happy? Do you think life is great, or are you depressed with what is going on around you? Never let the dark side overcome you!! Reach for the light. Yes, there are many painful things happening right now, but always remember God is in charge. Stay strong and alway lean on Him for His love.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unlloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!!

Wild Fires Are Out of Control in Oregon

September 10, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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It has been very scary here in Oregon right now. Wild fires are all around us. Several towns are completely gone along the Santiam river. The following towns have burnt down:

Detroit-huge tourist spot for boating and fishing. Also, Idhana, Lyons, Gates, Mill city, Mehama, and they have evacuated Silverton, which has over 20,000 people. That is east of us. Silverton is only 20 miles from us.

To the west of us on the Lincoln City is on fire on the Oregon coast. The Safeway store there is ablaze at the last report.

So we are surrounded at the moment. We are packed and ready to go when ordered.

All three of my children are in harm’s way.

That seems enough to handle, but we still have the Pandemic, and rioting in Portland.

That would seem enough to cry, “Enough,” Lord.

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The bottom line is that God is in charge and I am not. I rest in his love and protection. We will get through this. We won’t be the same, but we will get through this.

My family is constantly texting back and forth to see how we are doing. It give us comfort to lean on each other.

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How are you doing? Are things in your life on fire? Are the flames nipping at you heels? Too many burdens to handle? I certainly hear you right now. We all have to trust God to see us through the storms in our lives.

We have an awesome God. He knows each and every one of us. He loves each and every one of us. He is here to protect and give you hope. I am sure leaning on him right now. I am glad he has big shoulders to lean on. I am the one who needs to be strong for the whole family. I pray for strength from God.

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We all need to pray not only for our safety, but for our country. President Trump is being attacked from all sides. The democrats are doing everything they can to make him look bad. Please do not believe the news you see. Do a fact check every time. Trump loves the military, and the deomcrats are trying to get you to believe that he does not.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never ever, give up!

Do You Hate Being Told What to do?

August 28, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

We struggle with criticism. It is hard to be told what to do.

Proverbs says, “Timely advice is like gold and apples in a silver basket.” Another verse from Proverbs says, “The ones who listen to advice is like a gold earring. “

Why is it so hard to accept criticism? I know that we all hope we never receive criticism. It hurts, and make us feel unworthy.

At this time we need to realize that others opinions does not define us.

Now that I have said all of that, let me say that most criticism is good for us. The wise listen to others. We need to receive and assess.

So, why am I harping on criticism and being told what to do.?

If I am truly listening and assessing, it helps me growing. I filter out the negative and thrive on the good ideas.

Proverbs once again tells us, “Iron sharpens iron.” Meaning that to have someone criticise me, means I am getting sharper at what I need to do in life.

Words have power. They can help you, or they can hurt you.

Through all of this we often get down and depressed. It is can be easy to be broken and hurting. We need healing. That’s where God comes in. He is always there to soften the blows of criticism, and anger. He will be there to hold your hand, and help you to face the storm.

Have you been criticised? Were you felt knocked down and find it hard to get back up? I certainly have been there. When it happens to me is when I need to closest to God. I need to lean on Him for His love and compassion. My fear of criticism doesn’t stand a chance when I stand in God’s love.

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I have been battling lately because of the Pandemic. I have been on lock down, because I have several underlying problems. Thankfully I am able to get out and walk, but that is about it. I never thought that going on walks would be so precious to me.

My wife and I often just get in the car and drive to nowhere in particular. We have seen some places we have never been before right in our city. It has been a fresh air feeling.

There are other things that can drag you down. The rioting, shootings, looting, etc. It is very hard for me to watch the news anymore. Most of it is very negative. I have to find other things to do. I came up with a novel idea. READ THE BIBLE! (creative right?)

I make 10:00am my reading time. There are times when I learn something new every time I read. I have the Bible through several times, and yet each time I read again, I find something that I learned that was new.

Stay strong!

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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There Are “Karens,” Out There Who are Racist

August 3, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

There is far too much anger floating around. I saw a Facebook page that shows a “Karen,” yelling racist words at two girls who were from Asia. The words were of course hurtful. The two girls took it, and kept walking.

I have no idea where they came up with the term “Karens,” I have friends who have that name. However, it is now a label, and you see far too much of them hurting people.

Makes me think of the Bible. In Luke: 25-37 we are told that Samaritans were hated by the Jews. People ignored them and were forbidden to associate with them.

Jesus told a parable about this.

A man was walking on a road back to his home. A thief attacked him and took all of his belongings. He left the person for dead on the road.

He laid there bleeding and dying. Along came a priest. When he saw the man he went to the other side of the road to pass him. Likewise a Levite also went to the other side of the road to avoid him. But a Samaritan came to where he was and had deep compassion. He fixed up his wounds and put him on his own animal. He took him to an Inn, and asked them to care for him. He said he would pay for anything they used to help him.

Jesus told his disciples to do like the Samaritan.

Which one are you of the three men do you fit into? Are you the Priest, Levite, or the Samaritan?

It is so easy to get angry. It happens to all of us. We probably wouldn’t attack someone and take all their belongings, but we do get overly angry at times.

I try to think about someone who may have made me angry. I have learned that love extends further than pride. We need to swallow our pride, and forgive people.

Who has the lord placed in your path to make you angry. Make a list right now. I have done that. It is sitting right next to me.

Thank of each one of them. What did they do to make you angry? Is it worth it to just go on like it didn’t happen?

I think not.

Love is not just love. It is love in action.

Using words like you are expendable, or you are worthless, should be in our vocabulary.

The sad part is that we seem to define ourselves by who we disagree with.

It is OK to disagree, but not to hate.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never unloved.

You are never forsaken.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

We Need to Spread Love, Not Hate

July 3, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

How can we exist will all the turmoil going on around us? The Pandemic is growing fast again, with even other strands coming with it that are much more contagious.

We still have huge unrest in our country. Rioting, arson, tearing down statues, killings, Looting, and terror.

Where do we go for help? What can we do to overcome this?

We have a ugly new problem raising in our country. It is the “Karen’s,” that are causing it. They verbally attack black people with hateful words and even have pointed guns at them.

They have no concept of love. They only know hate.

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What the world needs now is love, sweet love! Where do they get it?

Well… it is simple to figure out of you are a Christian. We are suppose to be the poster child’s for love, right? Unfortunately that is not completely true. There are people right in my home church who seem to love to degrade others.

I am very saddened by this. I can not understand how someone can hate so much. They must hate themselves.

What we need to do is put God first in our lives. We need to try to live a life like Jesus. He never sinned. He never was mean to anyone. He loved everyone.

Speaking of posters child’s. We should be a poster child that shows love to everyone. What a difference that would make in our world today.

If you are struggling with thinking about wrong things, take an inventory of your life, and see where it is coming from. Push the negatives out of your mind and feel it with love and understanding.

Love is not just a four letter word. It is the word that changes the world.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

Tag: love (Page 2 of 3)

Be Strong Through the Storms of Life

Idols Will Fade Away, But Not God

There Are Benefits to Facing Trials

Wild Fires Are Out of Control in Oregon

Do You Hate Being Told What to do?

There Are “Karens,” Out There Who are Racist

We Need to Spread Love, Not Hate

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