T.A.L.K.

We’ve all heard of the saying “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all…”   a cute little saying that challenges us to bite our tongue and be a little less opinionative and negative. However, as we get older this phrase escapes our motto for life and we let criticism and opinions fly.  If we were to evaluate the way we communicate towards one another, what do we say? Are we mean..? Hateful..?  

I believe in being real with each other and honest, but there is always a good way to approach someone and a bad way.  My kids started to tell us this week “Good Job” when we do anything, putting on a shirt… “Good job mommy”.  When we finish our lunch… “Good job daddy.”   Apparently we say it often.

The Bible is clear on how we should speak to each other …Ephesians 4:29 “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.”

It’s easy for me to build up my kids; however, my attitude towards others and even towards myself could use this reminder daily.   “Good for building up” … is it possible to do?

Growing up we had a little plaque in our house.  It had the word TALK on it and each letter made a word.

T- Try

A – A

L – Little

K – Kindness

1 Thessalonians 5:11 also gives a quick sentence to reiterate:  “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. “

This week remember these verses and Try A LittleKindness when you TALK.

Encourage each other and build each other up. “May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”Psalm 19:14

Above All, Love

My Valentines’ day card to my wife was one of the most honest cards I think I have ever seen.  The cretors of the card meant it  for a funny little joke but it  almoset seemed like it was writted just for me.

It Read:

“For my wife on Valentine’s day,

Sometimes I’m absentminded, sometime I’m kind of cross, sometimes I maybe act as if I think I am the boss.

Sometimes I’m kind of quiet, especially when I’m worried, sometimes I’m just plain stubborn when I think I’m being hurried.

Sometimes I act a little spoiled, sometimes I’m lazy too-But there’s one thing that I always am, I’m always in love with you!”

Yeah, yeah “gag me with a spoon, I here ya… haters”  lol

As I am always trying to be better then the person listed above, my love for my Wife keeps me ever aware of how I am and how I need to be.

1 Peter chapter 4 focuses on how we need to evaluate our life to make sure we are living God… (please read this chapter if you have a few minutes)

Particularly today, I am looking at verse 8 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 

Although sometimes I am stubborn, lazy or absentminded, my wife knows I love her, and she loves me despite those things.  (However, as I am aware of my faults, daily I try to be better because I do love her.)

The same, but even more importantly, goes for God. Humans are a mess, we do a lot of things wrong, the one thing we CAN do is LOVE.  “…Love covers a multitude of Sins”

If you are trying to be better or change your attitude towards people or life in general, Try Love, Try living for God the way Peter discusses. “Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. “ (verse 9)

Happy V-Day,

Adam

Heart Time

When I look at your face I can usually tell what you are thinking, doing or feeling.  Our faces tell a lot about us… for example our emotions: anger, sadness or joy...  are usually hard to hide.  Our face can show others which direction we are going or what we are focusing on by what we are looking at. Our face can even show… wait for it… our Age.

Much like the face, our heart can reveal things about us. Like, what type of person we are. 

Proverbs 27:19

As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects man.

What has your heart? Who has your heart?

Matthew 6:21

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This verse is talking about storing your treasures in Heaven, making sure your heart is fixed on Jesus and everlasting life. If your heart is focused and maintained in the teachings of Jesus, it will show.

Your life is a message to the world; the way you live is a reflection of what you think is important.

Spending time with friends and family, going to church, playing sports or video games, working… even if you aren’t doing it consciously, everything is prioritized.

So, as you live your life, be conscious of the man your heart is reflecting.

~adam

The Moody You, Singing The Moody Blues

“Tuesday afternoon, I'm just beginning to see, now I'm on my way…” The Moody Blues

Have you ever had one of those moments when you have to stop and say… “Hey, life is not that bad?”

Some days I find myself needing this reminder.  One of my top 50 Musical groups is The Moody Blues, their song, Tuesday Afternoon, contains a great lyric,  “If you'll just come with me you'll see the beauty of

Tuesday afternoon”

There is nothing special about this time of day except for that fact that he is alive . (there are a couple of interpretations to the song, but I am keeping it light.)

In reading this week , God continued to provide me with two great examples on how to see the beauty of a normal Tuesday afternoon.

1.Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20 )

Giving thanks to God for everything; the good, the bad and the ugly… We are alive, we have another day to get it right, be with the ones we love and show them love.

And how do we show them love?

2. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

Being kind, forgiving and tenderhearted.  So many times I start my day with a hardened heart.  Protecting it from feeling or caring.  Soften the calluses of your heart and be kind and forgiving to others and yourself.

Recognize the beauty in everyday, even a normal Tuesday Afternoon. God made it.

~the sometimes moody, adam

Mirror Mirror

Our kids learn songs like ABC and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star because we sing it over and over and over and over and … (you get it.)

Our kids pick-up on the things we say and do, by watching us do things repetitively. Want to know what your favorite phrases are? Hang around my kids right now and by the end of the day they are mocking you word for word.

There are certain things we do and say out of habit and influence.

How do we as Christians expect to behave Christ like, if we aren’t constantly reading the Bible, having conversations through prayer and hanging (Old folks call it Fellowship) with other believers?  We won’t…

When I want to be fit and exercise, I look at other like-minded, fit oriented people for guidance and support. When I want to write a song or be inspired, I go to songs and writers that take me there. So, if my purpose in life is to worship and have relationship with our creator, shouldn’t I look to Him and His people for instruction?

Who do you emulate?   Your Parents..?  Your friends..? Do you live how the movies, music and media say we should? Or do you try to emulate the life of Christ? Its not easy, but it is our mission.

John challenges us in 1 John 2:6  “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”

Do you accept?

_adam

Got Junk?

This week, my wife and I cleaned out our basement.  The basement has been the catch-all for anything we didn’t have a place for.  Although it was convenient to have an entire floor as your “Junk Drawer.”  Most of the “stuff” really could have been thrown away, however at some specific time the item was necessary or had some emotional memory attached to it.

As we went through it all, we threw a great amount away, and re-arrange storage for putting things in its proper place. The End result was an empty basement. We didn’t know we had so much room.  Now we can improve this space and make it useful.

This got me thinking. What kind of Junk do we carry around in our minds and hearts that may hinder our growth and attitudes?  Guilt? Anger? Regret? What “emotional attachments” in our past keep us from moving forward?

Philippians 3:13,14 is a great verse that reminds us that we can move forward with God.

“Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”

Search for what is stopping you from being useful, having a joyful attitude and moving forward. Pray and draw closer to God and ask him to help clear the Junk.

Make room in your heart for Jesus.

Happy Cleaning!

~adam