There is a time for
Everything under the sun
Laughter and crying
Giggles and joyful tears flow
Making lovely memories
This week Colleen’s prompt words brought to mind Ecclesiastes chapter 3. They also made me think of the things, events, that go into those times.
As OctPoWriMo winds down we come to a prompt that gave a several ideas: upside down. But after “chewing” on it a while I went in a while different direction than any of my original ideas (and probably from everyone else as well). 
With their faith a small group
turned the world upside down.
They didn’t use swords or stones,
only the promise of a crown.
Today we sit idly by,
what can we alone do?
We serve a God that cannot lie;
those promises are for us, too!
So get up and move,
there’s plenty to do
So many folks still need
to hear the Good News!
The Bible tells us in Acts 17:6 that the people said the apostles “turned the world upside down” telling the Gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone they could. The Bible also teach us that God’s Word, His promises, are for all folks and all times; He and His Word are unchanging. Titus 1:2 tells us that God cannot lie. And Jesus told us to proclaim the Gospel to all the world.
The world has more people on it today than ever before. But thanks to the Internet and technology, the world is smaller than it’s ever been, too. God’s Word, an entire theological library actually, can be carried in our pockets/purses. That leaves us without excuse.
heart hard as granite
inscribed by diamond tip
great pearls of wisdom
Inspired by Scripture and linked to Ronovan’s weekly challenge.
Zechariah 7:12 They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.
Matthew 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve made the time to contribute to the BeWoW/Writers Quote Wednesday effort – too long. But life seems to get in the way often these days and I just haven’t. But a thought has been nagging me for a while so here we go …
Curtesy of Wikkimedia (click image to see more).
“Don’t believe everything they tell you. I use salt. I smoke 15 cigars a day. I have three or four martinis a day. If I don’t like the food, I send for ketchup. I’m almost 90 and I have no regrets.”
Being young and naive I was inspired; this was how I was going to live my life: with no regrets! And I managed do that for a while – until I got older and wiser and realize just how badly I’d failed my attempt to do this. (For those interested, you can find similar quotes like this one on the web.)
The other night as I was putting my grandson to sleep I sang an old hymn to him, one that I’ve sung him to sleep with for years. But on this night he asked about its meaning, which I explained to him. I was happy he remembered the song and was interested in it,but it reminded me of how much better I could have done with my own children if I had spent less time at work and more time with them: one of my a biggest regrets I have.
I’m glad that I have had the opportunity to make up for some of that time, though it was with a high cost. And I look forward to being a bigger presence in my grandsons (the one here now and the one coming in July) in a positive, godly way.
Regrets are, in my opinion, inevitable; we are human and we falter and make mistakes. The most important things are how we recognize, respond, and recover when we do fail. Whatever it is that needs done, do it in humility, love, and with great urgency. And learn from them! Don’t waste precious time on regrets; recognize, respond, and recover from them and move on. Life is too short to live in the past.
life starts in the blood
giving all that is needed
to finish the path
“…for the blood is the life…”
Inspired by the above verse of Scripture and linked to Ronovan’s weekly challenge.
As I sat on my deck this afternoon with the sun shining brightly around me, drinking in the lovely day, it was hard to imagine that merely a week ago we were snowed in. Seven days later, we’d gone from 20° F and about 15″ of snow to sunshine and 70°! While I know this break is not the end of winter – we have had a foot of snow on April 1 before (no April-fooling there) – it does kindle thoughts of the changes that are coming.
nature slumbers now
gray barren days tick away
as slowly she wakes
It won’t be terribly long until the cold, overcast days are replaced with new life, full of color, vibrancy, and hope. Hope? Yes, hope. For with the “new” there always comes “hope” for better, stronger, you name it. And with hope we can stand strong through the coldest, darkest of times.
Psalm 31:24 So be strong and courageous, all you who put your hope in the LORD!
This week Ronovan brings two new words, as he does weekly, for our haiku inspiration: crystal and hope.
Edit 01/17/16- I use the word hope here in the biblical sense, which means a certain, assured, knowledge, not the “pie in the sky” hope of today’s language. 
crystal clear I see
the veil rent top to bottom
my hope is secured
Upon seeing the words my mind went immediately to my faith in the completed works of Jesus and my security in Him.
“And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split.”
Matthew 27:50-51 ESV
“Since we have such a hope, we are very bold, not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end. But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.”
Earlier I wrote about choosing a single word, rather than a resolution, to focus on starting into 2016. At that time my word hadn’t come to me yet. Over the last few days of praying and meditating about it, I now have my word: stewardship.
Most of the time the word stewardship is predominantly associated with financial matters. In reality, being a good steward entails managing more than just money; the Bible instructs us to be good stewards of our time, talents, and treasures.
I feel that my main focus, though I’m certain it will bleed into all of my life, is better management of my time and talents. So as we enter into 2016 I anticipate many changes; hopefully more of them will be positive than negative. Whatever the changes are, however they play out, I’m sure that God will use it all to my betterment, whether I understand it at the time or not.
“And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.”
I pray that no matter how you go about entering this New Years – with one word, a resolution, or otherwise – that we all have a happy, healthy, and blessed year.
As the old year winds down I usually do a little assessment of it and “grade” it according to my judgement. While I look at all aspects of my life, I focus primarily on the spiritual side. I’m not done with my assessment as of this writing; I’m writing on Monday, scheduling for today.
I don’t “do” resolutions; studies and personal experience show they don’t work. But last year I discovered this idea of One Word; focus on a single word for the year and see how it works in your life. I liked it. I’m in the process of getting my word for 2016 now.
As I’ve been pondering the last year I came across this quote I wanted to share. 
Great ideas need landing gear as well as wings. – Charles Douglas Jackson
In setting goal and making plans we tend to go big; there’s nothing wrong with that. However, it seems most of the time we don’t have a full plan for getting from where we are to where we want to be. Then when the inevitable fork in the road comes we are lost.
This year I pray that we each have a happy, healthy, blessed year. And I hope we all get our landing gear in order before we see out on our trips.
Although I know there’s not an official Writers Quote Wednesday this week, I figured that shouldn’t stop me from linking to it anyhow. As far as I know Ronovan’s BeWoW is still on but I may be wrong in that. Nevertheless, this post is linked to both.
I came across this quote and image on my Facebook feed several days ago and saved it for today.
Image courtesy of the Banner of Truth; click rhe image for more information.
“Let nothing be said about anyone unless it passes through the three sieves: is it true? Kind? Necessary?”
– Amy Carmichael
It speaks volumes to me about how we ought to act but, seemingly nowadays, don’t. This is one of those rare times when I really hope my perception is off.
This post is linked to both the BeWoW and Writers Quote Wednesday communities; make sure to check them out!
Potholes in the Road of Life 