So many live out their lives in fear. Reacting to failure. Reacting to pain. Reacting to violence. Reacting to disastrous times.
No precept. No plans. No purpose.
Only reaction upon reaction to circumstance, feelings and desire.
Not enough live their lives by sheer courage. Having courage is choosing to be equipped. Choosing to be intentional. Choosing to be in the moment. Choosing to make the right choices regardless of common ground.
Know preparation. Know purpose. Know peace.
Choosing to respond or not to respond. Speak or not to speak. But always thinking. Always alert. Always deliberate of the choice.
That’s courage.
It’s not having all confidence or even all knowledge. It’s never about being the strongest or having the most.
Courage is the choice to do right and to be right no matter who stands against you. No matter who discourages. No matter who disagrees.
Have courage today. Be different. Make a difference.
And you can change the world.
Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.
John 1:9
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Honestly, I think any life would be dull and lifeless without music. There’s a quote that says, “Music is the words of the soul.” And I believe it’s true.
I’m not just referring to music with instruments, vocals and different genres, but I’m talking about any music. There’s a melody in the trees as the wind rustles the leaves. There’s a lullaby in the setting sun basking upon the mountains. There’s a cadence in the insects that hum and the birds that sing. There’s a crescendo in the waves crashing upon the rocks and shoreline.
In all actuality, there’s probably more music to be found in the nature around us, or in the children’s laughter that rises above the chaos, or the babies cries that surround a mother’s comforting coos than there is in the simple clanging of cymbals and piano keys.
This music brings peace to the soul and laughter to the lips. It brings strength to the mind and healing to the whole being.
So, where my life be without music: lost. Totally and utterly lost without hope. And I am eternally grateful for great melodies, regardless, of where they come from.
Sometimes, it’s the small, insignificant things that end up mattering the most. We can be so focused on the big picture that the portrait diminishes because we failed to notice the details.
Be aware of the little nuances whether in people, situations or surroundings.
Being able to notice can be a game changer.
Sometimes, it’s the small, seemingly insignificant things that will unravel the larger, more glamorous moments because it’s truly the little things that being together the big.
This is true in paintings.
This is true in circumstances.
This is true in relationships.
This is true in life.
If we ignore the minuscule things that make up the whole, we can miss a vital key that can unlock future and further withholding.
Don’t ignore the small things.
They can truly turn out to be the big things.
Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
What was the last thing you searched for online? Why were you looking for it?
These questions are always so interesting to be answered, and it’s even more intriguing to wonder if the answer is completely true or maybe just one of the recent searches in the the day.
When asked what was the last thing I searched online, my first thought was so I really want to answer that prompt? Because sometimes, the search can be so random, and something I wouldn’t normally search.It can be something someone brought up into a conversation, or a word I heard but didn’t know the meaning, or even a place I hear mentioned, and I’m wondering its location.
So, when I’m asked what’s the last thing I searched online and why were you looking for it, I secretly sneak over to my history tabs to see what I might find before I choose to answer. And then, I wonder do you want to know the last, last thing, or rather do you want to know the last interesting thing?
The last lady search is a bit random because I saw some friends advertise other acquaintances in a play locally; so, I searched the characters of Steel Magnolias to see what characters they might be playing. It’s been so long since I actually watched that movie, I couldn’t even remember the whole storyline, much less the characters’ character.
Then, the last thing before that, which would be what I actually answer as my prompt was something I was researching to speak about in a meeting: Matthew 5:13-16.
This is the Scripture about salt & light. If you’re a believer like me, we have this directive, to be salt and light to the world around us. And this scripture is so descriptive and so instructional that when I read it and then, think of where we are today in our world, it almost makes me sad…and convicted.
Now, if you’re not a Christ believer, as I am, this might not apply to you, but if you call yourself a person of faith in any way, this has our names written all over it! This was Jesus speaking to his disciples and all those who chose to listen to Him on the Mount of Olives. This is the same time frame when He gave us the famous Beatitudes that everyone loves to quote and preach to others of how we should live.
But these scriptures get a little more pointed, a little more laser focused on our personal lives and how we should be living them. This word brings it home to where all of us live.
We are to be salt. Salt of the earth. Salt brings flavor. Salt brings preservation. Salt brings health. Salt can also bring destruction. If you do more research, there’s lots of debate on what Christ meant when He told us to be the salt.
Instead of debating, I’d say He might have meant all of the above. Let me break it down a little…
Be salt that brings flavor to the world around you. Bring kindness, love, faith and hope.
Be salt that brings preservation. Preservation of the Truth. Preservation of His Word. Preservation of His Name and of all that He is.
Be salt that brings health. We, as humans, must have a measure of salt to be healthy. We, as Christians, must bring a measure of hope to bring health to those around us.
Be the salt that brings destruction. Not destruction of good but rather of evil. Bring destruction to lies, hypocrisy and evil intent against the innocent. Bring destruction to the deconstruction of faith, holiness and all things right, true and good.
Be the salt.
Being the light is a bit easier to comprehend. But for sake of congruency, I’ll break this down a little, too.
We are to be the light that shines in the darkness. We are the light that sits on a hill. We are the light that cannot be hidden. We are to be the light that transform the dark.
Light shines in the dark to protect from predators; so, protect the innocent and those without a voice.
Light shines in the dark to brighten a path; so, bring joy to someone else.
Light shines in the dark to lighten a room and dispel a fear; so, bring peace to another.
Light shines in the dark to expose the shadows; so, bring confrontations of truth to break deceptions and lies.
Light shines in the dark to lead the way; so, guide all you find to a better tomorrow.
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men,that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
There is a modern day push to tolerate all things, no matter what it might be.
To remain silent even when injustice is being propagated.
There is a peer pressure within society that you may speak, so long as your words aren’t too strong, too forceful, too conflicting, or God forbid, too spiritual.
Yet, I want to ask, WHO SET THE RULES?
WHO claims you are right and I am wrong?
WHO gets to choose what is common decency, kindness to mankind, justice to the abused?
Kindness does not begin where your intolerance ends.
Common decency does not get defined only by those with a specified ambition and agenda.
Justice does not get unbalanced weights to apply innocence to evil and evil to righteousness.
There has to be an absolute foundation on which to stand.
There has to be a voice that rises above the muck and mire.
There has to be an outcry for purity, holiness and truth.
And there must be a gathering of like minds who are bold enough to speak that truth with love.
Stop being a doormat.
Stop being used a vessel for wrong.
Stop being weaponized to destroy the innocence of all humanity.
You shall not have in your bag differing weights, a heavy and a light. You shall not have in your house differing measures, a large and a small. You shall have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure, that your days may be lengthened in the land which the Lord your God is giving you. For all who do such things, all who behave unrighteously, are an abomination to the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 25:13-16
Hear this, you who swallow up the needy, And make the poor of the land fail, Saying: “When will the New Moon be past, That we may sell grain? And the Sabbath, that we may trade wheat? Making the ephah small and the shekel large, Falsifying the scales by deceit, that we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of sandals— Even sell the bad wheat?”
Amos 8:4-6
These six things the Lord hates, Yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, A lying tongue, Hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that are swift in running to evil, A false witness who speaks lies, And one who sows discord among brethren.
This statement is the proof between maturity and immaturity.
It is the difference in the choice driven life and victim driven life.
It is the challenge of every human being alive.
You can either grow through your pain or allow it to consume you.
You can either choose to let it change you for good or for evil.
You can either live with determination or excuses.
It is up to you, and what you choose, what you allow will determine not only your outcome.
It will very likely determine the outcome for your children and/or those around you.
So, what will you choose?
How will you grow?
And who will reap the benefits ..or consequences?
Choose wisely, please.
And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.
The pain, the hardships, the struggles, they can all feel like piercing thorns that stab and poke into your most vulnerable moments.
The difficulties, the mishaps and failures can become like so many briars and dry patches that never seem to end.
But if I could encourage you today…
If I could give you one thought…
Blossom amongst the thistles.
Flourish amongst the bramble.
Don’t allow your circumstances to steal your beauty.
Don’t allow the heartache and brokenness to squelch your lovely fragrance and striking brilliance.
Bloom until you thrive and show the world there’s still elegance despite afflictions.
The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified.”
My journey didn’t stop with mere time travel or writing; it led me to become one of the most sought-after empaths, a soulful psychic who reads the hidden depths of the human spirit. I’ve been blessed—or perhaps burdened—with an ability that allows me to feel the emotions of people from every corner of time.
I am a licensed psychologist based in Greece. My love for housekeeping has inspired me to create this blog about home management and family relationships. I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoyed writing!
Dedicated to movie nerdom, nostalgia, and escape. In the late 90s, I worked at Blockbuster Video where they let me take home two free movies a day. I caught up on the classics and reviewed theatrical releases for Denver 'burbs newspapers and magazines. Today, while raising two young, beautiful daughters with my amazing wife, I look forward to anything rated R and not Bluey. Comments and dialogue encouraged!
the grizzle grist mill 