This is another great kids book by Max Lucado.  “Oh, the things we can do because we have hands!  Wipe tears.  Give a gift.  Write Grandma a letter.  With hands and a hug, we make people feel better.”  This book is written so that the littlest members of our families can know how that they can serve God – even when they are real little.  This book also shows little kids how they can serve their Heavenly Father just like their parents and other older people in their lives.  Gaby Hansen provides great illustrations for this book.  This book is a must for anyone who has little kids in their families!

I recently had the privilege to read two new books by New York Times Best-Selling Author Andy Andrews.  I had read another one of his books “The Noticer” that I really enjoyed.  I was intrigued by the titles of these new books.  What message could he be trying to get across to the readers?  Both of these new books are an easy read but they have a deep message - every thing you do in life matters. 

“The Butterfly Effect” has the following words by Andy Andrews on the back of the book, “Every single thing you do matters.  You have been created as one of a kind.  You have been created in order to make a difference.  You have within you the power to change the world.”  The book opens with a series of questions, “How significant is my life?  Do I make a difference?  When I move . . . when I act . . . when I do something . . . does the universe notice?  Do I really matter?”  Back in 1963 a man by the name of Edward Lorenz presented the hypothesis that “a butterfly could flap its wings and set molecules of air in motion, which would move more molecules of air, in turn moving more molecules of air – eventually capable of starting a hurricane on the other side of the planet” to the New York Academy of Science.  Much to the shock of the then scientific community this theory was proven to be authentic, accurate, and viable.  Soon thereafter the theory was accorded to be a law – “The Law of Sensitive Dependence Upon Initial Conditions”.  Andrews goes on to tell some other stories from history that further provide evidence of the butterfly effect.

The book “The Boy Who Changed the World” Andrews tells the true story of Norman Borlang who developed super seeds for corn, wheat, and rice.  These seeds were sent all over the world and produced crops that has fed millions of the world’s hungry.  The question is who should the credit go to?  Norman?  Or Henry Wallace the Vice President of the USA who commissioned Norman to do the research?  Or what about George Washington Carver who took the boy Henry on many nature walks and taught him about the possibilities when using one’s imagination and science and dared to ask the question “What if”? 

There seems to always be a ripple effect to one’s actions.  Your actions in some way or another has an affect on others.  I guess the question that is proposed by these two books is – What kind of effect does your actions have on other people?  Is it good or does it hurt?

The authors of this book have done an excellent job in showing how to look past the pain and hurts that have been experienced in life and see how these experiences can be used as stepping stones ti build on. God has so much good things awaiting us on life’s road. Why are there experiences like these in our lives? Because there is sin in the world. God has given us all a free will to do as we please and make our own choices in life. It’s too bad that these choices are often based upon a false belief system – lies are believed ti be truth and truth is believed to be a lie. We have been fed a very convincing, but false, lie. Drs Paul Meier and David L. Henderson have done fabulous job of walking through the many types of pain that one can experience in life and showing, with God’s help, how to get beyond the pain and mature spiritually. “Pain is not the enemy!” This is so very true. Many times we fear the pain so we can’t seem to get beyond that point. Pain is inevitable in life. There are so many prizes and treasures that lie just beyond the pain that we don’t see because we fear pain. Adversity can be our ally and not the enemy. There are seven struggles in life and we can go through them and grow through them when we view them through the light of God’s purposes.

It’s been a long time since I posted anything – again!  Time just goes by just way too fast! I’ve had many thoughts go through my mind and that’s about as far as it gets.  There always seems something else to do, some place to go, and never enough time for things that actually matter the most.  Isn’t that the way it usually goes?  That’s not the way way it should go though.  I think that we’ve all been spoofed into believing a lie as being the truth.  We have been fed a truck load of lies and swallowed them as being the truth.  We’ve done this so long that we tend to think that the lies are truth and the truth as lies.

I’ve also found it amazing how we tend to blame everyone else for things that happen to us.  No one is exempt from these allegations – we’ve all done it! What brought this to mind was the recent arrest of a 15-year-old young man on charges of murdering two of his neighbors.  His mother stated that it was DCFS’s fault that he did what he did! How? because after he was released from a psychiatric hospital they didn’t make sure he kept up with his meds and appointments.  What about his mother’s responsibility of taking care of her son?  Why was DCFS involved anyway?  Even our politicians blame the previous administration or the person who held the position before them.  Blago even blames the prosecutor for the mess that he finds himself in.  Whatever happened to ethics, accepting responsibility for our actions, truth, and integrity?  We need to have leaders who will go against the grain and stand up straight and strong fo what is right and take responsibility for their actions.  We need  everyone to take a stand for what is right and take responsibility for their actions.  God must be shaking His head at the way we act here on earth.  We need to fall on our knees and repent!  Then ask forgiveness of those whom we’ve hurt.  It is then that we can stand and know that we have done the right thing and with God’s help we will stand for what is right, true, and of good report!  No matter what we will do what is right and stand for the truth.

It’s amazing how time flies.  This year feels like it just started and now a new year is upon us.  The other day I ran into a friend who had recently retired.  I asked her how she liked retirement.  She said that she doesn’t know how she had time to work!  It seems that the older we get the faster time flies by.  We make plans for our days – all that we’re going to accomplish – only to find, as we crawl into bed, that we haven’t done anything (or very little) of what we had planned.  It seems like another day wasted – gone by without a thought.  Then when our head hits the pillow we remember all the things that we had planned to do, the things that we had resolved to accomplish, we are haunted with all the “I should have”, “I wish I had”, and all those condemning thoughts that invade our minds once the world around us has been stilled and quieted.  We waste so much time pondering all the negatives in life instead of looking at the positive things that occured during that day.  It’s important that as the day begins we commit that day unto the Lord.  Then as we lay our head on the pillow at night we need to give all the happenings of the day to our Heavenly Father.  It isn’t easy to empty our minds of all of the negatives but by committing everything to our Lord and Savior it is possible for all things are possible through Christ.

“What difference do it make?” is a follow-up book to “same kind of different as me.”  I read the first book some time ago.  It was a true moving account of how a homeless black man influenced the life of a white, affluent art dealer.  The book is a must read for all.  It made me sit back and take inventory of my own life and attitudes.  I also realized how little I really have done for my fellow mankind.

“What difference do it make?” gives an update on the people who we got to know in the first book.  Interwoven are stories of how the original book affected the lives of countless people – the ripple effect that was felt across the country.  The book also contains excerpts from the original book to remind the reader what was related in the first book.

I highly recommend both books as a must read by everyone.  Be prepared to take inventory of your own life as you read them.

I’m in Minnesota for my (gulp) 40th high school class reunion.  I’ve never been to one and thought that the time was right to attend this one.  I must confess that it is a bit scary going to one.  Maybe it’s fear that no one recognizes me; I am recognized; facing the past and bringing it to the present.  I don’t know but I felt I should attend this one.  I do get to see my aunt (I was born on her birthday) whom I haven’t seen in several years.  We’re all growing older and we aren’t guaranteed of tomorrow.  Will see how it goes tonite.

The title to Max Lucado’s newest book caught my attention.  Probably the biggest reason is because I’ve lived my life pretty much in fear.  Yes I am a Christian but I haven’t quite gotten the hang of living my life “Fearless”.  It may seem a bit funny because I’ve lived my entire life in church – my grandfather was a minister, my father was a minister, I married a minister, and my son is a minister.  Kind of funny in a not so funny way.

Max Lucado does his usual great job of pointing out the different ways that we live our lives in fear.  There’s the fear of not mattering; the fear of disappointing God; the fear of running out; the fear of not protecting my kids; the fear of overwhelming challenges; the fear of violence; fear of what’s next. The list goes on.  At the same time he points out how many times the Bible tells us not to be afraid.  He also shows how the disciples feared things even though they had Jesus with them.

I do like how Max Lucado pulls everything together and shows how God is always there for us and is holding us in the dark times and in the good times.  It isn’t easy to change things or our way of thinking – it takes time.  The old adage goes, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.”  We can change our stinking thinking but it does take time.  We have to work at it.  God is always there to help us, to hold us, to love us even when we are unloveable.  God is truly amazing!  We can live our lives fearless if we put everything into God’s hands and trust Him to carry us all the way.  He will place our feet on the solid rock – trust Him!

The title of this book by Dr Earl Henslin is what really caught my attention.  I also wondered what the content would be like.  I was surprised at how down to earth and full of practical information.  It’s very interesting how the doctor intertwined medicine and biblical truths.  I found that there is definitely a connection between our moods and something being wrong in our brains.  I liked how the doctor uses supplements and medications; mood-balancing foods; music and cinema therapy; exercise programs, scriptures, prayers, and so much more.  This book is not your self-help book.  This is not just another in a myriad chain of quick fixes to all the problems in life.  I recommend this book – it offers natural ways to gain control of the issues and illnesses we experience in our lives.

What does it really mean to live life intentionally? According to Ephesians 5:17 it means that I shouldn’t live my life carelessly, unthinkingly. That I should make sure that I understand what God wants me to do.

In The Message Bible Ephesians 5:17 reads “Don’t live carelessly, unthinkingly. Make sure you understand what the Master wants.” The Amplified Bible says in verses 13-17 “But when anything is exposed and reproved by the light, it is made visible and clear; and where everything is visible and clear there is light. Therefore He says, Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall shine (make day dawn) upon you and give you light. Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and wirless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people). Making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil. Therefore do not be vague and thoughtless and foolish, but understanding and firmly grasping what the will of the Lord is.”

While I was studying living my life intentionally or being the intentional woman, I came across Isaiah 60:1-2. In the Amplified Bible it reads “Arise [from the depression and prostration in which circumstances have kept you - rise to a new life]! Shine (be radiant with the glory of the Lord), for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you! For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and dense darkness [all] peoples, but the Lord shall arise upon you, and His glory shall be seen on you.”  This scripture really spoke volumes to me.  God is going to raise us up to become a lighthouse, that life saving beacon to those who are in darkness and lost!

The Bible clearly admonishes us to be careful how we live our lives – not as fools but as those who are wise. That we should not act thoughtlessly but to try to understand – to search out, to pray about, to listen to God – what it is that the Lord wants us to do in and through our lives. God wants for all to see the light of God shine through us, on us, in us. He wants those who are in darkness to be drawn to us so that we can lead them to the light of Jesus – to bring them hope when all around them looks hopeless.

My prayer is that those whom I come in contact with will see the light of my heavenly Father shine through me to give light to those who are in the darkness. I want to live my life intentionally for God.  That I can minister to those whom I come in contact with.