Month: April 2017

I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 9:13

We used to rent a little house that people used to call the Barbie House. It was a little blue and pink cottage that sat on top of a hill. It had a huge yard that looked on forever. We would grab the camera when it had been raining and the sun would come out because we’d see the most spectacular double rainbows from the porch.

When we were driving on vacation years ago, we got to see the biggest rainbow we ever saw. It was a perfect arch. There was a little white church that it went right over…so beautiful!

I think the most vibrant rainbow I ever saw was while driving. It transformed a dreary area into a magnificent picture. It was so bright and unreal that I was a bit overwhelmed. I even felt that God was right there with me in the car. I had to look around to make sure there wasn’t a visible person beside me. I sure felt it in my spirit!

Why do we automatically smile when we see a rainbow? Is it the pop of colors, or could we be reminded of God’s promises and mercy? God could have chosen anything to represent the message He had for Noah and the many generations later, yet He chose the most cheerful visible picture I can think of. How exciting!

Instead of just thinking about a pot of gold the next time we see a rainbow, let’s get excited and give God some praise! All those wonderful colors are something to really celebrate. Not only did God give us amazing colors in his rainbows, he provided us with constant reminders in His flowers and birds. I could give you great examples of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, or violet ones. If you want me to just sum it up…the male painted bunting.  Check it out!

If you’re living in a dreary world that you’ve made for yourself, I challenge you to put some color into your life. It will remind you of those vibrant rainbows and God’s promises. May you find God’s mercy each day and receive His amazing grace.

Do two walk together unless they have agreed to do so? Amos 3:3

Years ago before my hubby and I were married, we decided to go on a short vacation with my grandparents and a few other family members. A house was rented and we were off. Grandma and I were in the backseat while Grandpa was in front with his future grandson-in-law driving. I don’t think I ever drove their car before, not that I’m complaining or anything. There actually wasn’t anything that made me smile more than when my hubby was accepted as if he was always family.

My grandma decided to wash up some clothes the one day since there was a washer and dryer in the house. My family can be a little Clorox crazy, but when she started mixing something else in there, that’s when my future hubby decided it was time to speak up. Mr. Safety saw what she was about to do and about jumped over the table to grab it from her. He thought the world and all of my grandma so I knew it was serious when he told her that she absolutely couldn’t mix the two together.

Sometimes when two chemicals are put together, they just don’t mix. They’re both perfectly fine for their intended purposes, but are toxic together. Some people are that way too. We should always try our best to get along with everybody, but everybody is not always going to want to get along with us. Just like we can’t walk together with God unless we’ve agreed to do so, two people can’t have a relationship unless both parties agree to it.

I challenge you to stay respectful to each person you’re around, but if you’re fearful of the mixing, proceed with caution. I wouldn’t want you to be overcome in the process. I’d suggest putting on the protection of God since walking around with a gas mask might seem a little silly. Just don’t make Him jump over the table to keep you safe!

 

Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Colossians 3:10

I have this crazy mirror in my bathroom that is pretty unusable above the sink. When we first moved into our house, we really only had one problem with the house itself. Frankly, it was barely even a problem. The mirror had lines starting to show through where the glue was, so the contractor replaced it.

The problem wasn’t really fixed because it was replaced with the exact same kind as the old one, and soon the issue started again. Maybe it wasn’t necessarily the mirror, but the humidity in the bathroom causing the problem. I wasn’t going to keep complaining over something so insignificant; therefore, eleven years later we have a quirky mirror that you can’t really see through except in a few spots. I just use a different mirror if I need to see more than one eye at a time, and gave that old mirror a new job. I now have a message board! All it took was a few dark-colored dry erase markers.

It shows us what happens when you want to trade in for something new, but not fixing the problem first. Whether it was getting the same type of mirror and expecting a different outcome, or not fixing the problem in the bathroom and still expecting a different outcome is a little bit crazy!

Do you ever feel like trading in your spouse for a new one? Personally, I think I won the jackpot, but I’ve heard people say this. I’m perplexed why someone would want to do that. You’d probably just be attracted to the same type again, getting the same results, or if you haven’t worked the problems out within yourself, you’re just going to want to trade in the “new” one for an even newer one later on. That sounds exhausting!

People tend to want a quick fix for themselves or others by just tossing the old and getting new. Sometimes we need to figure out the reason behind the issue in order to make a change that will last, or we’ll end up in the same position again. The way to do this is by not lying to yourself or anyone else. Be renewed by getting to know God. He’ll reveal the way to true change so you can take on the image of Jesus.  The best image for anyone to see.

 

They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Ephesians 4:18

We go through quite a few bags of pretzels in my house, but we get tired of them after a while. Even though we’ll eat the hard pretzels, we especially enjoy the soft ones. When I bring them home from the store, my boys can’t wait until they’re made!

At the local pretzel place, I’ve watched the bakers take dough and make that pliable rope into an actual pretzel by doing some fancy hand and wrist movements. It’s in a wonderful shape to go into the oven to bake. When they pull it out, it’s hot, soft, and delicious! The steam comes out as a piece is torn off…so good!

Those hard pretzels are a different story. We can’t tear a piece off one of those because they’ll snap and break. Even though they both went through an oven, one got hardened and one stayed soft. Whereas my oldest can’t eat the hard ones, he sure can eat the soft ones. They’re easier for the braces to deal with! Not only will the pretzels themselves snap, they can also snap a wire so we have to be careful. They have a negative effect on braces for sure!

People are quite a bit like those pretzels. Think about it. We all go through the heat, and some of us get hardened while others stay soft. The light goes out of the hardened ones. The softened hearts are more exciting, just like the softened pretzels; they attract more attention. More people are drawn to them and they get chosen more.

Once someone is hardened, they’re more likely to snap because they no longer understand those around them. Because of a hardened heart, they’re ignorant to the wisdom of God. When they don’t have His wisdom, they’re blind to what others are really meaning and are unable to love like He loves.

I challenge you to take a look at your heart. Is it still soft and pliable, letting in God’s light and wisdom? Is it getting a bit hardened that you’re unable to see anyone else’s point of view? Let me put it this way…do you insist that you’re always right without trying to understand another’s thoughts?  Remember that nothing is too big for God.  He can change that hardened heart right around!

Also, be careful being around those with a hardened heart. You will most likely get snapped at because they’re living in a pretty dark world. Be the bigger person in that situation and show your soft heart by not snapping back. People are more excited to be sharing space with a gentle bunny than a snapping turtle!