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The “Dailyness” of Life

Jeannie Waters18 Comments on The “Dailyness” of Life

Cicadas are loud, especially when I’m reading on the deck. This morning the shrill notes of their orchestra played fortissimo! Once they distracted me, I heard other sounds—a dog barking in the distance, the hum of the deck ceiling fan, and the songs of two different birds.

Although the cicadas were the smallest of the sound generators in my hearing range, they produced the loudest noise! Isn’t that like the problems we face each day? Do you notice that little challenges can cause big irritation? (Those “first world” problems I mean.)

  • The item you ordered isn’t like the picture.
  • You’re put on hold multiple times for three minutes each time, and you repeat your question three times.
  • Your cell phone won’t stay on WiFi. (Mine today!)
  • You forgot to buy the tuna for tuna salad. (Anybody?)
  • While shopping, you realize the coupon you planned to use is—you guessed it—at home.
  • The washer buzzes three times because the load isn’t balanced.

Those little “cicada” moments can disturb our otherwise peaceful days.    

As I listed my “trials” one day, my wise closer-than-cousin friend said, “Life is so daily.” What? Her statement stopped me in my whining tracks.

Yes, life is so daily, but I’m not quite ready for the alternative, are you? I know because I’ve accepted Jesus as Savior that I will live in Heaven when I leave this earth, but I’m not rushing the Lord’s designated time for that.

Life is so daily. 

The statement changed my attitude that day and still does when I remember in the middle of daily activities to consider the following:

Life is a gift from God. Earthly life offers opportunities to serve the Lord and the Bible promises eternal life with Him for Christ followers.

Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.

John 3:36

I confess that sometimes daily annoyances rob my joy and cloud my awareness of the One who creates each day.

Another challenge can be those chores that feel like déjà vu.

Didn’t I just mop this floor yesterday?

Whether one or six people live in your home, life is daily, isn’t it? You vacuum, and someone tracks in dirt. You buy groceries, and someone eats them. You load the dishwasher, and the sink fills up. You cut the grass, and it grows right back.  

Life is so daily.

My mom, who was a wonderful wife and mother, once said with a chuckle, “If my family didn’t eat and wear clothes, I could get something done!” Ever feel like that?

What is the best way to face the irritations that badger us and the never-ending tasks that thwart plans for a productive day? Consider two suggestions that help me. They are simple, yet profound.

Life is so daily, but there are biblical responses that please God.

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

Just imagine the change in our countenance and our outlook if we rejoiced during the day that God created!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

How do you maintain a thankful heart and a focus on God during daily challenges? Please leave a comment to BRIGHTEN OUR DAY.   

I researched the origin of the quote “Life is so daily.” I was unable to find proper attribution but read many references to it.

Celebrate Freedom

Jeannie Waters8 Comments on Celebrate Freedom

My eyes welled with tears Sunday as our church choir, with orchestral accompaniment, sang the service songs of the US military branches during our pre-Fourth of July service.

Prior to the “Marine’s Hymn,” a white-haired gentleman in front of us handed his bulletin to his wife and prepared to stand. On the first note, he stood proudly with shoulders thrust back and arms by his side. I couldn’t see his face but imagined his countenance reflected pride, honor, and patriotism.

When the choir sang the song for the US Army, I thought of my dad who enlisted as a seventeen-year-old foot soldier during World War II. How frightened he must have been riding in a tank through occupied territory and later running across a battlefield as comrades fell beside him!

When he returned home, he dreamed of fallen soldiers as thunderstorms provoked nightmares from the horror of war. Our freedom isn’t free. Someone must pay for it.

Salvation in Christ is free to those who accept Jesus as Savior and Lord; however, there was a supreme cost for this freedom and the offer of eternal life in Heaven.

The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Matthew 28:20

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

When we confess our sin, and ask Jesus to be Lord of our lives, we acknowledge that His death bought our freedom—freedom to pray, freedom to walk with Christ in abundant life, and freedom from eternal separation from God. 

This year as we celebrate the liberty we have as citizens of the United States of America, our beloved country, let’s remember our freedom in Christ and enjoy the blessings we have.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

Galatians 5:1

If there are problems that prevent us from experiencing full spiritual freedom, let’s ask God to deliver us from bondage to them. Do you need freedom from fear? From people-pleasing, a critical spirit, complaining, worry and anxiety, perfectionism, doubt, jealousy, anger? When we confess any of these and ask God’s help, He answers and helps us experience the fullness of freedom in Christ. I’m thankful for His healing responses in my life.

Please share how you plan to celebrate our nation’s birthday and how you live a life of freedom in Christ. Blessings to you and your family.

Happy Fourth of July!

Seeking God Requires No Browser

Jeannie Waters6 Comments on Seeking God Requires No Browser

How quickly we can access information and products in 2019! With a browser and a device at our fingertips, we can locate recipes, find steps for a DIY project, retrieve information from the Cloud, or track a threatening storm. We can read a book online or purchase one.  

Connecting with family, friends, and colleagues is just as easy. Internet access paves the way for face-to-face online meetings, electronic greeting cards, texting, calling, or connecting on social media.  

Once we desire information or contact, it’s instantly available unless there are technology glitches.

What about our search to know God more intimately and to access the resources He promises to provide? How can we obtain peace, joy, comfort, wisdom, and other treasures that are only available from a heavenly Source? This week I studied a verse that reveals the answer.

The verse instructs us to seek the Lord’s strength as well as His presence. God is omnipresent and not difficult to find. He is always available to those who call on His name. However, we connect with Him to develop a closer relationship and to access blessings He longs to provide.

Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!

1 Chronicles 16:11

Seeking the Lord through prayer and Bible study teach us more about Him and the gifts He prepares for us each day. Christian fellowship furthers our learning and encourages us in the quest for connection and a deep, personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  

Here’s another idea for a cool summer morning or late afternoon. Take a walk in a park, in your neighborhood, or simply around your yard and notice signs of creation that glorify the Creator and remind us of His presence. Ask God to use the wonders of nature this season to remind you to seek His strength and His presence each day this summer.  

What is helping you seek God’s presence? Please share your thoughts with us.

Seeking Direction for Today

Jeannie Waters6 Comments on Seeking Direction for Today

Why did I check the weather for Black Mountain, North Carolina, a city I visited several weeks ago? Rather than searching for local weather predictions, curiosity led me to a town five hours away.

My mind drifts to that place where I fellowshipped with friends at a conference and learned more about writing to honor God. I remember precious people, times, and places. But I can’t “stay” there.

Have you savored recollections of a retreat or a special era in your life, basking in the glow of meaningful moments? Reflecting on treasured memories brings joy and perspective. However, if we look backward too much, we can’t live effectively in the present.

How can we find guidance today, where we are, as we walk in a way that honors Christ? How can we move forward into new adventures with God as we use blessings and knowledge gained in the past? One of my favorite verses contains God’s answer:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.

Psalm 32:8

On this day, wherever we are, we can study God’s Word, seek His answers in prayer, and plan to obey His direction. We may not hear a specific response today, but He promises to teach us and guide our paths.

Do we sense God steering us in a new direction? Do we need to hold something more loosely or let go of it completely? Maybe reluctance to obey God hinders us.

Is the current situation so pleasant that we cement our feet in place even when God leads us to change? Refusal to accept a new job, friendship, ministry, or adventure with God may cause us to miss blessings.

With treasured memories and new understandings tucked into my heart, here is my plan to move forward today with the promise of Psalm 32:8. I hope my ideas encourage you in your journey with God.

I plan:

  • to savor joyful memories and use what I’ve learned as I continue to pursue excellence in responding to God’s call.
  • to communicate with and support new friends, as I allow God to nurture established relationships and create additional ones.
  • to ponder what I read in the Bible daily, pray, and listen to what God is saying.
  • to offer the gift of each new day back to Him as I look for the provisions and surprises God places on my table each morning.
  • to take the next step as He leads me on daily adventures with Jesus.

I rejoice in the blessings of the past, however, I can neither continually look backward on my life nor spend time in regret. On this day and each day, I want to seek God’s guidance and anticipate blessings of obedience in the future, don’t you?

As a reminder of God’s promise, I posted Psalm 32:8 on my desk. Perhaps doing the same and journaling about your walk with God will help keep your focus on Him as you begin each new day.

Recording prayer requests and new truths we learn is a beneficial practice as well. 

It’s time to check the weather app for this place where I live and focus on what God wants to show me. What about you? What helps you look forward and seek God’s best for you? How do past experiences inform your present activity?

I hope you’ll share a word of encouragement with all of us.

NOTES TO READERS

  1. At the writers’ conference, I received the blessing of an “Honorable Mention” award for this blog. Thank you, reader friends, for your encouraging comments this past year. I appreciate your support, and I stand amazed that God allows us to be a small part of His work.
  2. I apologize for the delay in sending new posts. Technology glitches hindered my progress for a while, but with problems solved, I can reconnect with you, which is my joy.

Fresh New Mornings

Jeannie Waters6 Comments on Fresh New Mornings

Ah! The freshness of a brand new day. The smells of spring and the sound of bird choruses are as bright and new as the dew glistening on the grass. Patterns of sunlight stream through the trees creating patterns on the ground. Yesterday is a memory; tomorrow is yet to come. But today is just beginning.

God creates a new day each time the sun brightens the eastern skies. Would you agree that our focus when we awaken can influence the way we walk through the day? Would our morning sighs turn into deep breaths of gratitude if we viewed each new day as a cup filled with God’s mercies? The following passage provides a source of hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

                                                                                                          –Lamentations 3:22-23

I think I’ll write the verses above on a card and attach the card to my mirror for a daily, fresh-as-dew perspective.  Perhaps you’d like to do the same. Maybe you could write them on a card to share with a friend who needs encouragement.

Our loving Father creates fresh new mornings and fills them with His mercies.

How do you begin your day with a heavenly perspective? I hope you’ll share in the comments.