Fortunate Signs - Daily Inspiration

Today at lunch we were having a going away luncheon for one of my co-workers. We ordered in Chinese food from Hunan House. It's always tasty and very filling. I can't eat another bite, but somehow I'm going to make room for her going away cake later.

I reached for my fortune, eager to see what the universe had in store for me. As I ripped off the outer plastic and cracked the cookie in half I discovered that ****gasp**** THERE WAS NO FORTUNE!

What does that mean exactly? Is that a bad sign from the universe? Have the Gods frowned upon me?

Nah!

I take it as a sign that today is "Make Your Own Fortune" Day. So, what would you wish for if the universe (God) could give you anything you wanted? Remember to wish big. No sissy wishing.

God wants to give you everything he can. He gave you new life through his son, Jesus, didn't he? That was pretty big. Or as my choir director says, "AWESOME!"

My prayer for you is to think awesome thoughts today. Show kindness to people just because it's so great to be you. Do some big dreaming, some big wishing and some awesome fellowshipping.

Blessings to all.

Tent Villages - Hurt or Harm? - Daily Inspiration

I've been watching on the news in St. Louis about how Larry Rice of New Life Evangelistic Center has bought land in order to put a tent village for the many homeless people in St. Louis. The people surrounding this land keep complaining about all the things that "might" happen with these homeless people being in their neighborhood. They say that it would be unsafe to have people live there.

Larry Rice is the advocate for the homeless in St. Louis. He really cares about them. He has a place for them to eat. And he even shows them how to run the television station he has in his building downtown. He wants to make a difference.

These homeless people in St. Louis are currently living in cardboard boxes, under overpasses, in their cars and anywhere they can find shelter. All that seems very dangerous to me. And they're not just the normal homeless depicted on television. There are many people out of work these days that used to have big houses, big jobs and big dreams. Why are the people in St. Louis snuffing all that out?  I just don't understand. I don't get it. We're supposed to look after the least of these, right, not shove them farther into the gutter.

After Larry Rice bought this land, the moment he opened the tent village, he was arrested. I understand that the residents around this village think neighborhood might become a little shady because of the influx of these homeless people. But why couldn't it be the other way around. Why couldn't all those people in that neighborhood befriend the homeless in the tent village, become their advocates, their cheering section. So then maybe everyone else would do the same and take the stigma of homelessness off people who just can't help it that they can't find a job in this harsh economy.

So, my prayer for you today is to think on this, contemplate what we can do to help the homeless situation. Pray for them because I know they desperately need it.

Blessings to all.

Go For Your Dreams - Daily Inspiration

Have you had dreams that you wish would be fulfilled? Do you think about them often but never do anything to push them forward? Well then, I want you to think about putting those dreams into motion. Give them a little oomph, a great big amount of attention and focus. Because if you don't go for your dreams, all you're doing is just wishing all over the place.

DREAM BIG!

My sister and brother are constantly telling me to get my stories published. And seriously, I don't even know if either of them have ever read any of them. They both are just a great big support system that always have my back. I'm sure you all have similar people in your life. Your cheering section.

My prayer for you today is to pay attention to your cheering section and GO FOR THE GOLD! Grab that brass ring and don't let go. Believe in yourself and your dreams because YOU DESERVE IT!

Why you ask?

Because you have a GREAT GOD who created you from his divine spark and he wants you to succeed even more than you do. So pay attention and go for it today.

Blessings to all.

Clean language and themes book club

If you like to read books that are clean with good themes, you might want to check out the Astraea Press Book Club on Facebook.

Here is the link via my mobile connection:

http://m.facebook.com/groups/319805601428268#!/groups/319805601428268?view=group&__user=678806922

If this link doesn't work search Facebook for: Astraea Press Book Club.

See you there!

Be Grateful - Daily Inspiration

Today is a day to be grateful for those men and women who have served in any branch of the military. And I am grateful for their sacrifice.

Sometimes I wonder why our men and women recruits must go through such things. Some seem to pay an awful price: post-traumatic stress, lost arms, legs and some even dignity. And even knowing all the possible side-effects they still choose to serve.

Maybe that's a lesson for all of us. Serve where you're called. They were called to the military. What are you called to do?

Meditate on that today as you give thanks for all their great service. And remember to be grateful. :)

Blessings to all.

Tangles - Daily Inspiration

Lately I've been getting my inspirations straight out of my life experiences. Today is no different.

Yesterday, I went and got my hair cut (after much prompting from my dad). My hair has a mind of its own and it grows bushy relatively quickly.

You'd think with having this much hair I'd be a seasoned expert at the hair salon, but I'm not. I have what feels like a hair cutting phobia. I'm not sure exactly why. I can only break it down to one thing... it disrupts my Saturday routine.

I like routine. Routine feels safe to me. Change feels like a big fiery knife being plunged into my chest. So, needless to say, I go with the better feeling. :)

I'm always happy when my hair is shorter and more manageable. I should have at least a good month before the tangles reappear. Tangles are like hair monsters that you have to fight daily to deal with.

Tangles kind of remind me of life. The longer you go without washing or dealing with it, the worse it gets. See the parallel? Maybe it's just me.

If you don't deal with life, the fiery dagger of change swoops in and reeks havoc on your plans. If you aren't washed clean every Sunday (at least) your life is just a mess if obstacles (tangles) during your week.

I know it's not a perfect analogy, but it works for me today.

So, keep the tangles out of your life and go to church today. Let the pastor's message uplift you and wash you clean. Oh, and if you haven't been in awhile, it may be time for a haircut of your own. :)

Many blessings to you.

Brainwaves - Daily Inspiration

Have you ever noticed that sometimes you discover a way of doing things that is perfect for you and then somehow you get knocked off that path and you forget. That happened with me.

When I worked in St. Louis the stress was overwhelming. The only way I found to deal with it was via subliminal cassettes by Kelly Howell and Alpha, Beta, Theta and Delta Brainwave CDs by a man named Dr. Jeffrey Thompson.

Now, don't go thinking this is all too woo-woo. Department stores have used many types of subliminal tactics for years.

The CDs and cassettes only consisted of music with no lyrics. Mostly ambient sounds with binaural beats. These brainwave musical CDs saved my sanity, no joke.

My favorite and most used Kelly Howell CD is called Positive Thinking. Since I'm a writer of fiction I'm constantly in "what if" mode. What if this happened, what if that happened. Now, that's great for brainstorming stories but not for constantly second-guessing yourself.

I bring this all up to say that yesterday I found an app called Brainwave -30 Programs. It has all sorts of alpha, theta, beta and delta programs. Some will put you to sleep, some will help your creativity, and some will help with stress reduction.

I'm already in love with this app. And using it will definitely help me when I slip into overwhelm.

What about you? Did you rediscover something you've loved recently? Remember our motto from the other day: Keep Moving Forward. Remember those things that helped you in the past and start them up again today.

Blessings!

Don't Let Overwhelm Overwhelm You - Daily Inspiration

Because of the email problem we'd had over the last few days, yesterday was a bit of a tiger. Many of the emails we'd failed to receive were now coming in, people were a little crazier and a lot louder. I had to re-layout the template set-up three times because of all the commotion going on around me. Needless to say, the words of the day yesterday were DISTRACTION and OVERWHELM.

Only you are in control of you. I, myself, allowed overwhelm to overwhelm me. So, only I could figure out a way out of my troubles.

And, of course, that feeling of stress followed me from work that day into my evening hours. I was stressed from the day, sneezing like crazy from my inflamed allergies and just downright exhausted and empty.

Empty.

Have you ever felt that way? I let myself get distracted from my path of keep moving forward and I guess I took a left turn at Albuquerque (Bugs Bunny reference of the day.). :)

So as you go on with your day today, don't let overwhelm and distraction overwhelm and distract you from having a blessed day. This is the day the Lord has made, we will rejoice and be glad in it. This is the verse that comes to mind today.

Knock out overwhelm and distraction with joyous rejoicing and gladness that you have a wonderful Savior who is always there to comfort you when you need him. Call on Him when the overwhelm sets in and lay it at His feet. He knows what to do in all situations.

Have a blessed day!

Keep Moving Forward - Daily Inspiration

Walt Disney is famous for a quote he said that includes the phrase "Keep Moving Forward." I first discovered this phrase on the movie "Meet The Robinson's". Here is the quote:

“Around here, however, we don’t look backwards for very long.
We keep moving forward, opening up new doors and doing new things…
and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
- Walt Disney

I really like this quote. It always reminds me to keep looking for new options, new ways to do things, and to just keep a positive attitude in all I do.

I had to do that a lot this week with all of our email troubles and whatnot. Despite all the chaos concerning that, I've remained relatively straight-headed, not getting upset. I'm proud of me.

What about you? Do you think keeping the motto "keep moving forward" will help you along your path today? Why not try it. Keep moving forward toward your goal. Make steady progress. You'll get there, even if you have to take baby steps to accomplish it.

My prayer for you today is to do that... KEEP MOVING FORWARD. Blessings to all today along your forward moving path. :)

Yesterday - Daily Inspiration

Yesterday we lost access to our email and FTP site due to something that fell through the cracks. (And if you're trying to get a hold of us, we're still having some issues.) That happens sometimes, doesn't it? We look back and wonder how we missed it, why we weren't looking for it.

It all stemmed back to payment of a domain name that was purchased many years ago. I thought it was quite interesting that the provider could turn off the domain name in an instant with one click, but it will take nearly three days to get it fully back online again.

We've had intermittent service. Some of us could get email and not send it. Some could send and not get email. And others, like our Mt. Vernon office, was completely cut off from everything.

Like I said yesterday, life happens. No one was really at fault. Do you think you would remember to renew something that you originally paid for 3 to 5 years earlier? I can't even remember what I was doing five years ago.

So, my prayer for you today is to be understanding when things you can't control happen. Don't look at it as if someone did something to you on purpose. They didn't. There was no intention of evil or to make your day more stressful than normal. Things in life just happen.

Try to see things from the perspective of the one who was ultimately responsible. Their intention wasn't to screw up anyone's day, right? You wouldn't want anyone to feel that way if *you* were the responsible one. Pray for them instead. Send good thoughts their way. Make them feel better by knowing you don't have bad feelings toward their unintentional actions. Doing so will make you feel better too.

Blessings to you today.

Life Happens - Daily Inspiration

I was going to write about how we need to remain positive in all areas of our life. But life seemed to happen this morning. All the email accounts at work are not working, and this is "Super Tuesday," as we've dubbed the hardest day of the week. Ahhh!

I'm still going to try and remain positive. Because life seems to happen all the time. Unexpected things happen in an instant and try to throw us off our positive spinning wheel of life. I'm not going to allow that today. I'm going to remain focused on the positive. Things will work out. They always do. Thanks to God. The same will happen today. Something will occur to spin things back in the right direction, I know it.

How about your life? Do things just seem to happen to you? Well, maybe it's all in your thinking. I understand that if you remain focused on the things you want in your life, success, abundance, etc. More of that will flow forth toward you. But if you constantly worry about things, all you get in return are things to worry about.

So I advise you today to send up rockets of glory! Think about our Savior and all he had done for us. Think about all the great things in your life that you are completely grateful for. Think about the little things that only matter to you and be grateful still.

If we remain focused on the positive, we will all get positive back in return.

Blessings to you today. And if you happen to get a moment, send up a prayer for us at work that our email situation gets resolved in a completely positive way.

Thank you! And many blessings in your day today.

Workin' on a Building - Daily Inspiration

Yesterday, I found a YouTube video of Cindy Morgan pounding out a cool rendition of an African spiritual called "Workin' on a Building." It's from a book called "Old Songs Hymnal" by Dorothy G. Bolton. I'd never heard of this song before but apparently it's very old.

When I say the saw the name of the song on Cindy Morgan's YouTube Channel, I had to say I was curious. Workin' on a Building? What does that mean exactly? Is it a song or a discussion about building something? I had to find out.

As I watched the video, I finally understood . The lyrics say:

I'm workin' on building
A Holy Ghost building
I'm workin' on a building
for my Lord, for my Lord.

That conjured a complex set of visuals for me and reminded me of two different images. One was of a broken church somewhere with few followers. And as they sang this song, they built up their strength to get better and better.

It also reminded me of my Uncle and Aunt. They were missionaries in Africa for six years (three years in service, twice). What they did there was build churches. My Uncle Mike is a carpenter, my Aunt Tracy a nurse. they seemed the perfect pair for this mission.

But "working on a building" in Africa isn't like working on a building in MidAmerica USA. There aren't any Home Depots or Lowes. The bricks had to be made out of mud and clay. And not just a couple of bricks, many, many bricks. It takes a long time to make enough bricks to even start constructing a church in Africa. Somehow my uncle did it.

It didn't have many bells and whistles, but I'm sure the people there were overjoyed to have it.

So be thankful today that you have a holy ghost building to worship within. It may not be as perfect as you'd like it. The shape may not be right. It may have too many levels for the elderly in your congregation or may not be fancy enough. But it's one hundred times better, I'm sure, than the church my uncle made for those people in Africa. And I'll bet those people in Africa are one-hundred percent more grateful for that church than we are for ours.

So, the next time you walk into your church, praise God that you have a great place to worship, no matter it's shape and size. God doesn't care where you worship, just that you do.

Check out the YouTube Video "Working on a Building" by clicking this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdLzQ7Pg8j4&feature=g-user-u

Flowing and Easy - Daily Inspiration

It's a quiet and relaxing morning. Not too hot, just right in temperature. I can hear the birds twittering outside. I swear they are singing the name, "Regina" over and over.

I feel still and contemplative this morning. If I could learn to still my mind long enough and learn to meditate, this would be the morning to do it. Just sitting in the silence, focusing on nothing and feeling the peaceful energy of creation surrounding me.

There is not a lot of stuff going in my mind this morning. It's a nice break from the usual where my thoughts twitter by as fast as those birds chirping outside.

Flowing and easy. That's the day today. Maybe it has something to do with the solar eclipse that's happening today. If you get a good view of it from your country, check out the sun today with it's cool ring of fire effect.

My prayer for you today is to have an equally still and contemplative day where nothing gets you down because of how uplifted you are by experiencing God's creation.

Blessings to you all.

Psalm 46:10 - He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations,I will be exalted in the earth.”

Safe and Secure - Daily Inspiration

I was reading the devotional book "Jesus Calling: Engaging Peace In His Presence." The devotion for today talks about how we feel safe and secure in the presence of Jesus.

When I was very young, I got lost in JC Penneys. Now, I didn't feel lost. I was playing in the racks, jumping in and out between the clothes. Suddenly, I looked up and my mom was no where to be seen.

That's a scary feeling when you lose track of your parents. In my mind, I wasn't lost, they were.

All I had to do was ask the sales lady if she'd seen my parents. She paged them over the loud speaker. Problem solved, parents found.

The look on my mother's face when she finally saw me is the look I imagine will be on my face when I come face to face with Jesus in Heaven. It's a mix of great joy and overwhelming relief. I'm sure it's just like that but ten fold, one-hundred fold, an overwhelming amount of every emotion.

That is why we need to get ready for all that overwhelming joy we will find in Heaven. We need to daily walk with Him, experience His presence.

My prayer for you today is that you move in the direction of Jesus. Make walking with him a priority. Not just now and then, but every day.

Waiting - Daily Inspiration

Waiting.

I'm not a fan of waiting.

I had to work the night shift last night and the night shift is a lesson in waiting. It's already a tough thing to do, especially when you're a 9-5 worker and have to switch to a night shift for just one night. Doing something like this is doubly tough for me. It throws my body out of whack, my sleep out of whack and I'm am just down-right grumpy the next day.

We wait on everything in the sports section (that's the section I layout when I work) because nearly every story is timely. The games have just happened, the stories have just been written. It's the opposite of the news section where the stories are mostly done by 6pm.

Then after all the waiting comes all the rushing. Hurry, hurry, hurry, is the motto. You must meet the deadline. Hurry and write the stories, hurry and lay out the pages. You must meet the deadline. Inside pages done by 9pm, front page and jump of Mt. Vernon zone by 11:30pm, front page and jump of Centralia zone by 12:30am.

Hurry, hurry, hurry!

Then after all the hurrying, all the confusion about which story goes where, there is a peaceful calm. The sports editor has left and all I have left to do is send the plates down. This is my favorite time. I'm finished. I can relax. Tomorrow is a new day.

Tomorrow may come a little early the next day, but I'm relieved to be done with the night shift for a while.

Do you ever have days like this? A lot of waiting and then a lot of rushing. My prayer for you today is that you take it all in stride and let God refresh you at the end of the day with a peaceful, and well-earned reinvigoration.

Therefore wait for me,” declares the LORD, “for the day I will stand up to testify. I have decided to assemble the nations, to gather the kingdoms and to pour out my wrath on them— all my fierce anger. The whole world will be consumed by the fire of my jealous anger. - Zephaniah 3:8

Stay Focused - Daily Inspiration

I always try to do what I'm supposed to and follow all the rules, but sometimes the rules seem to change unexpectedly.

Take yesterday for instance. We had been told not to do a certain page setup. Only two weeks ago we had asked a paper we print not to do such a set up. I didn't know the exact reason why we shouldn't do this but knew it was hard for the pressmen and caused a lot of wasted paper.

Suddenly, yesterday doing this setup was okay and I was scolded for not doing what the client wanted.

I'm not a big fan of change but I'm also not a fan of having things change and not being informed. I want to do things right (it's the perfectionist in me) but sometimes even our best effort is thwarted when other's intensions are thrown into the mix.

All I can do is try to stay focused and try to do better next time. (Maybe I need to work on my mind reading skills.)

I'm trying not to get upset and take things personally. I'm trying to focus on why the change happened instead and see things from the side of management. I may never know why things change but I can always do my best and stay focused on a positive outcome.

Is there something in your life you need to stay focused on? Or is there something you need to change your focus on? Take heart. Change happens to everyone, even unexpected change. Give everything your best and turn the rest over to God and Jesus. The problem may not go away but releasing the anguish will give you peace about the situation.

Blessings to everyone today. I pray you have a great and uncomplicated day.

Exodus 15:26 - He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

100% American Made - Daily Inspiration

Yesterday, I was contacted via Ancestry.com by a relative of my great grandmother, Myrtle Sisson Walker. This lady lives in Peoria, IL. She told me the Sisson line goes all the ay back to the 1600s in Rhode Island. Kinda cool.

You always hear about how people trace their genealogy within one or two generations back to England or Germany or Africa. But not my family. We're rooted in America.

My mother's Walton line traces back to some Native Americans. My dad thinks it's the Ozark Indians but we aren't sure. We haven't done any searching on that side of the family yet. We always joke that I only have a pinky's worth of Native American in me. The Indian in me must be awfully diluted by now, but it's there somewhere in my DNA. The Indians were also rooted in America too.

So, it looks like I'm 100% American made. :)

My dad's grandfather, named Perry L. Walker, was a fireman on the Railroad with Casey Jones. Yes, *that* Casey Jones. And yes, he was a real person. You can't believe how many people think he's just a story character. Due to misspellings in the census records, it was a challenge to track down Perry's roots. When he was born his name was Osborn, but the census says Orsban (a common misspelling of the name Osborn or Osborne) But when he married my great grandmother, Myrtle Sisson, his last name was Walker.

So truly, the Walker line ends with my great grandfather. I had always wondered why we were never related to other Walkers in this area. Now I know. (And knowing is half the battle.)

My theory is that Perry's mother, Hannah Stanford Osborn remarried after Andrew Jackson Osborn died. She was married to a man named Enos Walker. (And Enos' father's name was also Enos.) So, Enos Walker became my great grandfather Perry's (and his sister, Etta's) step dad.

Isn't it great how people you're not even related to can influence your life? I thank God for Enos Walker, even though I'm not truly related to him.

No matter where I look in my family tree, it all comes back to being  born and bred in America. I'm proud to live in our country where our motto is "One Nation Under God."

I'm sure eventually my tree will reach across the ocean to some place else way down the line. Someday I'll discover where. What about you? Do you know where you came from?

My prayer for you is that you learn about your family history, who you really are. Be proud of that, no matter what you find.

Learn more about genealogy at Ancestry.com. And watch "Finding Your Roots" on your local PBS station or "Who Do You Think You Are?" on NBC.

Hello Neighbor - Daily Inspiration

"Hello, Neighbor!"

When I was young we lived in a trailer in Marion, IL a stones throw away from a local market. Every time we went into the market my father would greet the owner with a happy, boisterous, "Hello, Neighbor!"

For years I truly thought that man's name was Neighbor. I didn't know any better. I was a kid. I only discovered that the man's real name was Pruitt when he passed away when I was in high school. He was a happy man that I have fond memories of.

Another person I have fond memories of is a set of brothers from Tamaroa, IL. We used to drive through this town on Rt. 51 every time we went to see my grandparents who at the time lived in Cambria, IL. These two men who owned a junk yard used to sit in lawn chairs at the curve in the road and wave at every car that drove by. My sister and I always made sure we were watching and waved back. We named them the Waverly Brothers. I even saw a story about them in Reader's Digest once.

Their smiles and happy waves made everyone that drove by smile a little brighter.

We have our own Waverly Brother right  here in Centralia. His name is T. Jones and he is a crossing guard for the 4th Grade Center and coincidentally helps children cross the same street the original Wavery Brothers lived on.

As I wave at him every morning I think of Neighbor and the Waverly Brothers and wave back with a big smile on my face. I appreciate T. Jones. He gives a great service to the world. He makes me smile every morning. And not just me, but many other commuters on their way to work.

Thank you to T. Jones, Neighbor and the Waverly Brothers. I salute you.

My prayer for you today is that you remember those people from your past that you have fond memories of, celebrate them today, be thankful for their great influence on your life.

Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. — 1 Chronicles 29:13

Sight Reading - Daily Inspiration

On Saturday, members from my FBC choir in Centralia and 12 other churches in Salem came together and sang in a mass community choir. We got involved because of a man named Mike Speck. He's a famous arranger of choral music. Him and his wife and daughter make up the Mike Speck Trio.

When we started the day, the choir was a bit timid, and frankly, not that good. Mike said that he was a bit worried about us. Not many in the choir knew how to read music, but they had a heart for being in a church choir.

I've been in a choir since I was in sixth grade. In high school I was one of only two second sopranos. My least favorite part of competing in awards was doing something called "sight reading".

Sight reading is where they give you a piece of music and you basically have to sing it without hearing the notes.

I suck at sight reading. I do know how to read music, but I need to hear the notes to get them into my head. So, sight reading was always hard for me, especially being only one of two people in an entire section.

Mike's original sight reading of us was wary concern. But as he got to know us, and as we practiced on the four songs we were about to sing, his wariness moved to happiness. Then when time came for the performance, we blew everyone away. I'll bet Mike didn't think that was possible at his first "sight reading" of us.

My prayer for you today is that you don't let your first impression of someone become all you ever think of them. Get to know people more deeply, like Mike Speck did with us. You'll be the better person for it.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. — Jeremiah 29:11

Our True North - Daily Inspiration

Today is Mother's Day. It's the day we celebrate Moms. Moms are the first people we connect with. They are our true north.

I really appreciate my own mother. She's always been there for me. But that's not to mean we haven't had our challenges over the years.

When I was in high school there was a tension between us that I can't rightly remember the cause of. But that happens to everyone, doesn't it? We all have struggles with the people we love.

My relationship my mother was no different, but it's great now. I put our earlier struggles to growing pains, something we all go through in one form or another. Don't let growing pains ruin your relationship with your mother. Don't let another day pass before you work things out and find common ground. Believe me, it's worth the trouble.

My prayer today is for all the mothers out there who taking loving us to a whole new level. Love on your mother today.

God Hears Us - Daily Inspiration

1 Kings 3:9 - So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

Can you imagine how scary it would be for someone to tell you, "you're king. You're in charge now." Solomon must have been seriously freaking out. I know I would have. But he knew that he didn't have the wisdom and discernment to lead. So, he turned to the one who knows all things. And because of Solomon's faithful request, God gave him great wisdom.

Do you ever have big decisions to make and don't know where to turn? Well, there is a mighty God in heaven just waiting for you to call on him. No problem is too large for God.

My prayer for you is to pray for those big decisions. Ask God what to do. He hears our prayers.

Proverbs 15:29 - The Lord is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous.

Don't Be Fooled — Daily Inspiration

And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. — 2 Corinthians 11:14

I received a strange message today in my email account. It was a phishing scam. A phishing scam is an email that masquerades as something else to fool us and get our personal information, passwords, etc. Today I wasn't fooled. But some days things fool us that we don't even notice.

Things in this world can masquerade as other things. Take Satan for example. Satan can be a smooth talker. I mean, he talked God into letting him torture Job just for the fun of it, didn't he? That's really mean. Satan is not a nice guy. But he can pretend to be flowers and light when he's really darkness and doom. Don't be fooled by him. He will be your undoing.

My local NBC station has been doing a weekly series this week about bullying. Bullies can be Satan-like. They prey on the weaker to make themselves feel strong. And surprisingly, the one that is being bullied is always the stronger, better, nicer person.

Bullies see this trait. They know that they can never live up to such an example as a good and faithful person. So, what do they do? They try to squash us, steal our lunch money, try to make us feel less than we are.

But we are not less. We are mighty because we have a mighty God who loves us.

My prayer for you today is to pray for the bullies in the world. Pray that they turn to the one who can forever change them into better people. God loves even the bullies among us.


It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. — 2 Corinthians 11:15

Accentuate the Positive — Daily Inspiration

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. — Matthew 6:34

I shouldn't worry about things I can't change. But we all do, don't we? We get stuck in our head mulling over the events of the day like some bad rerun on television. We can't help ourselves. Why do we relive such muck when we could be envisioning a bright and wonderful future where everything we ever wanted existed?

I don't know if I completely buy into The Secret but the basic principles seem to be sound. Everything that's coming into your life is there because you're attracting it to you like a big human-shaped magnet. If you think worrisome thoughts, you'll attract things to yourself that you can worry about. And conversely, if you think blissful, happy, loving thoughts a majority of the time, you'll attract like things to yourself.

It's all about how you think and where you put your focus and intention.

So, let's go back to the beginning of this inspiration. If you worry about things you can't change, you'll bring things you can't change into your life. ACK! I don't want that. I have enough of that.

Instead, why don't you focus on things you enjoy doing and maybe you'll attract that into your life instead.

It's funny how just writing this stuff down makes me feet better, more optimistic, like the burden has been lifted. This focusing on the good stuff really does work.

My prayer for you today is to keep your focus on the positive, life-affirming things in your world instead of the negative, bad things. You'll feel much better if you do.

The secret is to just do it! :)

[ Do Not Worry ] “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life ? ... — Matthew 6:25-34

Too Busy For Life? — Daily Inspiration

“You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the LORD Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. — Haggai 1:9

Do you ever feel like you're too busy to do the things you love? I discovered this week that we fill our lives with what we want. We do whatever our hearts fancy. No one *makes* us do anything.

Without the television to take up my time, I could have been typing up episodes for my fictional stories, working on new episodes or just writing in general, but I didn't. I found myself lying on my bed just thinking. I guess my mind realized I needed a little peace in my life.

I've never had a problem with being alone. I enjoy reading and writing, both solitary activities. But I know other people need to constantly be with other people, enjoying, connecting. I never completely understood those people. It sounds tiring to me, always angling for attention from someone. But, in some way, I guess we all do it in one way or another. Either we're a gregarious friend-maker or a solemn people-pleaser. We all look for things that fulfill us.

Today, I'm filled with the sounds of silence. I need that sometimes in this hurried world we live in.

If you're too busy for life, it might be time to step back and try something new. God's all about new experiences. I mean, otherwise, why would he have created us, right? My prayer for you today is that you take time to smell the roses and put a little life back into your life.

"How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, 'We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.' — Matthew 11:15-17 MSG

You Are Not Alone — Daily Inspiration

You're not alone for I AM here,
Let me wipe away your every fear
My love, I've never left your side
I have seen you through the darkest night
And I'm the one who's loved you all your life
All of your life
— You're Not Alone, Meredith Andrews

That's comforting to know, isn't it? We're not alone. We'll never be alone. God is there with us.

Sometimes in this great big world, we can get lost as a single individual among the masses. Have you ever walked into a room filled with people, knowing no one, and you felt a pang of loneliness? I've been there. That can make you think that you're ultimately alone in the world.

I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take some of the power of the Spirit that is on you and put it on them. They will share the burden of the people with you so that you will not have to carry it alone. — Numbers 11:16-18

I've visualized what my life would be like without my family. And I can't imagine it. How do you keep on going when you have no one? No one to talk to, confide in or just be with? And with that thought, I can see why people turn to suicide or death. Being alone can be painful.

But with God, you're never alone. He's always with you. Walking beside you, carrying you if need be. And sometimes, he's the only one we can turn to.

It is you and I, You've been walking with me all this time — All This Time. Britt Nicole

If you're feeling alone and lost, turn to the one who can fill you with a great sense of happiness and feeling. You'll know that you'll never be alone again, even if you are on this plane of existence. My prayer for you is to turn to Jesus, turn to God. And you'll never be alone.

But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. — John 8:15-17

Connection — Daily Inspiration

“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” — Genesis 3:4-6 MSG

I apologize for not getting my Saturday and Sunday inspirations out there. We had a freak lightening storm in our area which knocked out not only our internet but our satellite television.

Sometimes being unplugged from the world makes you realize just how important it is to be connected to things, people, the world and God. Our Savior wanted to be connected to us. He created Adam and Eve for that connection. He saved Noah and his family for that connection. He wanted to know us and have a spiritual relationship with us.

The whole earth will be brimming with knowing God-Alive, a living knowledge of God ocean-deep, ocean-wide. — Isaiah 11:6-9 MSG

God even sent his son to us in order to keep all of us safe. He wanted to maintain that connection so much, he was willing to sacrifice his only son. Now, that's a man with a huge intention.

Connection. God's all about it.

My prayer for you today is to get connected to God, to the people in your life you've unplugged from whether intentionally or unintentionally. Show them that you have a BIG God with BIG intentions for connection.

Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. — 1 John 3:1-3 NIV

Get Plugged In — Daily Inspiration

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” — Romans 12:12 NIV

Funny thing happened yesterday at work. We had a strange network problem where one of the routers didn't work which caused some cascading failures across the network. We all had to turn off our computers and in a sense "unplug".

Just a few minutes, maybe half an hour, gave us all a new perspective. We were talking to each other and laughing. Interesting how just a few minutes off line can bring us all together.

As it is written, A champion will stride down from the mountain of Zion; he'll clean house in Jacob. And this is my commitment to my people: removal of their sins. From your point of view as you hear and embrace the good news of the Message, it looks like the Jews are God's enemies. But looked at from the long-range perspective of God's overall purpose, they remain God's oldest friends. God's gifts and God's call are under full warranty—never canceled, never rescinded.
— Romans 11:27-29 MSG

We were unplugged and then gained a new perspective. I see a sort of parallel here. We were filled with sin and then by plugging into Jesus and his teachings we gain a new life.

Look up, and be alert to what is going on around Christ—that's where the action is. See things from his perspective. — Colossians 3:2 MSG

That's right. Christ is where the action is. All things go through him and because of him we have a new life, we are sin free. That is, if we accept the blessings he offers us.

My prayer for you is that you plug into Jesus and accept a new life.

In Story Form — Daily Inspiration

I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter hidden things, things from of old - we will tell the next generation the praise worthy deeds of the Lord, his power, and the wonders he has done. — Psalm 78: 2, 4

Parables make it easier for us lesser folks, those who are not Godly, understand the messages the Master of creation is trying to relate to us. Like the stories we tell our children to help them grow, parables teach us in a language we all can understand. We've been in similar situations. We *get* it.

The burning sand will become a pool, the thirsty ground bubbling springs. In the haunts where jackals once lay, grass and reeds and papyrus will grow. — Isaiah 35:7

I will stretch out over Jerusalem the measuring line used against Samaria and the plumb line used against the house of Ahab. I will wipe out Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. — 2 Kings 21:13

The original storyteller inspired the ancient prophets to warn his people with stories of stolen lambs, plumb lines and bubbling springs. Those stories confused some but those who truly listened with a child-like faith could easily understand and revisit the stories time and time again to hear a clear message of God's love..

The Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. — Proverbs 2:6

Teaching from God comes in many forms. God seems to know his people learn best when his messages are put into stories that have a second, more spiritual, meaning. Maybe it was because of the climate of the time two-thousand years ago making it hard to share the gospel message. To some, a story is just a story. But the stories in the Bible teach us great lessons and in away only God knows will get through to us.

God knows what's best for us and sometimes it comes in story form.

My prayer for you is to share the parables and stories in the Bible with someone. Maybe it will bring them closer to our Maker. Maybe it will bring them a closer understanding of God's teachings, just like it did for you.

He Hears Us - Daily Inspiration

“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.” — 1 John 5:14-15 NIV

God knows us. He hears us.

It's amazing to think that a great God like ours would take the time to listen to a little one such as me. I mean, in the vast universe of creation, we are but a grain of sand of a grain of sand in the vastness of the many galaxies. I mean, we are little, very little. So little that it is hard to believe that he can hear anything we say. Can we hear the cries of an ant? But our God hears our cries.

“Tomorrow,” Pharaoh said. Moses replied, “It will be as you say, so that you may know there is no one like the LORD our God. — Exodus 8:10

There is no one like our God. He does so many amazing things, things we don't even know we need.

He leads us to music we need for comfort, to people to cry on their shoulder, little things that we never acknowledge, he does them, he puts them forth.

He is my God. Let him be yours. Accept him.

My prayer for you is to allow God to respond to your cries for help. If you need him, he's always there. Let him be your God.

I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the LORD your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. — Exodus 6:7

Love is... - Daily Inspiration

And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. — 1 John 4:16

"How do I love thee? Let me count the ways." That's the way Shakespeare spoke about love. But in his story, their love was a tragic love. But God's love for you isn't tragic. It's glorious.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. — 1 Corinthians 13:4

Sounds pretty good so far. God is patient with us even in our weakness. He knows we are not worthy of His love, but He loves us anyway. God is kind. It's hard to be kind sometimes, isn't it? After a long day of one stressful event after another, kindness is usually the last thing on our minds.

No, the Father himself loves you because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. — John 16:27

God doesn't love us because we're good. We can't do anything good enough to make the creator of the universe love us. He loves us because of the sacrifice of Jesus. And through Him, the love flows like rivers of gold.

God loves us because of Jesus' goodness, his kindness, his patience and his great faith.

My prayer for you today is to have patience with those you love today. Show kindness to people you meet along the way and have the great faith that a great God loves you.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” — John 13:34-35