A New Attitude. A Thankful Tuesday Post.

Today is the last day of October, and for many that means thoughts of pumpkins and trick-or-treating and other similar pursuits. For me, it is a reminder that November is just around the corner, and November brings thoughts of the day life changed from "normal" to "not".


Last year, on November 16, I had a hemorrhagic stroke. That was followed by months of therapy. When I was discharged from therapy, I was told by my doctors and therapists that I would continue to improve. I confess, I didn't believe them, but I was wrong.


I have continued making steady progress, improving day by day, across all these months. People sometimes ask if I am 100% yet, and my answer is still no. And I may never be 100% of what I once was. There are still things I can't do, and things I struggle with. But I am so much better than I ever thought I would be. And I continue to improve.


For all the months since the stroke, I always thought of myself as "the girl who had a stroke" or as a person in stroke recovery. But in the last few weeks, my attitude has changed. I am no longer "the girl who had the stroke". I am no longer a stroke victim.


I have a new attitude.


I am a stroke survivor!


And it is all because of God's amazing grace!


"Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens." Psalm 68:19 NIV

Overwhelmed

Some time ago I studied through Charles Stanley's 30 Life Principles, and recently I revisited the study. Today I have been pondering Life Principle Number 1:

"Our intimacy with God - His highest priority for our lives - determines the impact of our lives."

We are designed for relationship with God. God desires to have a relationship with us. An intimate relationship. Isn't that a mind-boggling thought? That the Creator of all things desires to have an intimate relationship with us. With me.

I'm overwhelmed!

Words Matter

Words matter.


I have learned just how much in these months since my stroke last year. I have always loved words, but in these months of struggling for the right word, of not being able to connect with the word I'm trying to say, of not understanding the word I'm being given...all that has given me a new appreciation for the power of words.


Yet even as I value the power of words, I find myself these days shying away from many of the words I read and hear. On radio and television, in social media, everywhere we turn, it seems that our discourse is full of rancor and hatred, of harshness and criticism.


Whatever happened to good manners? It seems "common courtesy" is no longer common! Whatever happened to respect? Whatever happened to treating other people the way you would want to be treated?


Whatever happened to thinking before we speak? Whatever happened to choosing our words carefully? When did we decide that the words we use just don't matter? What has happened to us as a people?


I have written before about the days when I struggle with these posts. That was true even before my stroke. Some days, words come easily. Some days, not so much. Even on the "not so much" days, perhaps especially on those days, I want to choose my words carefully because words matter. 

Not just written words. All words matter.


Consider, for example, good manners and words of respect. Please. Thank you. Yes, sir. No, ma'am. Manners aren't just for Southerners. And far too often, Southerners don't have them either! How we treat each other matters, and the words we choose are a reflection of that. In our increasingly discordant world, it's important to be respectful, even when we don't agree. Especially when we don't agree. Words matter.


Words can encourage, or they can bring discouragement. It matters which we choose. 

We have, by the words we choose to use, the ability to lift someone up or to tear them down. And this ability carries across the spectrum of life. At home. In politics. In the workplace. In the classroom. At the mall. At the gym. Everywhere we go.


As you're out and about today, doing life, encountering various individuals and situations, choose your words carefully. Be respectful. Because words matter.





"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver."  (Proverbs 25:11 ESV)

Editing

Any writer knows that editing can be a tedious process. Whether writing a blog or a magazine article or a book or a Bible study. Whatever. Checking spelling. Replacing one word with another. Rearranging sentences. Formatting. Then checking it all and doing it again. And again. And again.

It occurs to me we could all benefit from the editing process. Writers carefully check each word and phrase, making sure that what is being written is exactly what needs to be said.

I think it can be said that each of us needs to do some self-editing.

Editing of the words that come out of our mouths. Before they come out of our mouths!

Editing of the things we post to Facebook and Twitter. 

Editing of the "likes" we're so quick to click on. 

Editing of the things we share, on social media and elsewhere.

Perhaps the world would be a better place if we all did a little more self-editing.

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment so that it will give grace to those who hear."  (Ephesians 4:29 NASB)

In All I Do. Really?

Amazing love how can it be?
That you, my king, would die for me
Amazing love, I know it's true.
Its my joy to honor you.
In all I do
I honor you.

(from You Are My King by Chris Tomlin)

 

Have you sung that song in church lately? Or have you sung along with the radio as you're driving down the highway? And if not this particular song, perhaps one with a similar lyric.
 

This morning I've been thinking about this song and others like it. It occurs to me that there's a sense in which songs like this one encourage us to stand and blatantly lie in our times of worship.
 

You may be thinking that I have just made a very extreme statement. But think about it. Do you.....do I.....honor our King in all we do?
 

"All we do" covers a lot of territory! Do we always honor God in every single Facebook post or every Twitter tweet? Or in everything we choose to share - or not share - on social media?
 

What about what we choose to watch on TV? The movies we see? The books we read?
 

What about how we relate to our neighbors? Or our co-workers? Or the mailman or the clerk in the store or the server at the restaurant?
 

What about how we relate to our family members?
 

Or the way we take care of our homes? Or our yards? Or our cars? Or any of the other things we've been blessed to have?
 

What about how we handle our money? Or how we handle the lack of money?
 

What about how we spend our leisure time?
 

What about how we relate to those who disagree with us? To those who are "different" than we are?
 

What about at the ballot box?

What about when we don't get what we want?  Or when we get what we don't want? 

What about when God doesn't answer our prayers they way we expect Him to?  Or when the answer is "no" or "not now"?

What about when we're frustrated or discouraged?
 

Are we really honoring God in all we do? Or is it just another song that makes us feel good when we sing it?
  

Something to think about.

Simply Trusting. That Is All.

Times are tough right now for a lot of people. If you aren't in the middle of a tough time, you probably know someone who is.

People are worried and stressed and fearful and feeling uncertain. About all sorts of things. There's the aftermath of the hurricanes. There's politics, which seems to have become a contact spot. There's the attack in Las Vegas. We are wondering what is happening to our country, and we are fearful for the future.

People are dealing with health issues of various kinds. A bad diagnosis. Facing tests and uncertain about what the diagnosis will be. Trying to navigate insurance challenges.

There's unemployment. And underemployment. And nervousness about just how long the job will last. And will it be long enough. Wondering when the next round of lay-offs will come. Worry that the job won't last until retirement. Concern that when retirement comes, there won't be enough money.

There are bills to pay. And too much month at the end of the money.

There are broken relationships. There's stress and anger and frustration.

How do we deal with it all? How do we get through the tough times without falling completely apart?

We adjust our focus. Instead of fixing our attention on the circumstances, we fix our attention in a different direction.  Look up. 

"Fixing our eyes on Jesus....." (Hebrews 12:2 NASB)

We remember.  Remember who God is. Call to mind the aspects of His character. Make a list of all the times and all the ways He has come to your aid, all the blessings He has showered on you. Remember how He has never forsaken you. 

"Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."  (Psalm 103:2 ESV)

We trust. We fix our eyes on Jesus. We remember who He is and we remember all He has done. And we trust that He will continue to do that.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  (Hebrews 13:8 ESV)

No matter what the circumstances of your life are today, no matter how stressed or upset or worried you might be, rest today in confident assurance that God is in control.  Nothing about your situation comes as a surprise to Him. He knows. He cares. And He's got it all under control. 

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."  (Romans 8:28 ESV)

 



 "Simply trusting ev'ry day, Trusting through a stormy way;

Even when my faith is small, Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting as the moments fly, Trusting as the days go by;

Trusting Him whate'er befall, Trusting Jesus, that is all."

 

(Trusting Jesus - words, Edgar Page Stites; music, Ira Sankey)

 

 

The Gift of October

A few years ago, I took this photo while standing in our driveway. We don't live in the mountains anymore, and there isn't this much color yet on leaves where we live now here in the Upstate of South Carolina. But colors like this are part of the reason I love October! Perhaps it's the same for you as well.

October is the month of red and gold and orange leaves.

Of pumpkins and apples.

Of fall festivals.

Of cool mornings and warm afternoons.

Of leaves falling.


For those who live here in the South, October is a welcome respite from the extreme heat we experienced all summer, and even through September.

For those who live further north, October extends the beauty of summer a little longer before the winter months of snow and ice and extreme cold.

October is a gift! Let's enjoy every moment of it, and give thanks to the Giver of all things for such a wonderful gift as October!

 
"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers." - from Anne of Green Gables by Lucy Maud Montgomery


"O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever."  (Psalm 106:1 ESV)