Each month I write one post about meaningful gifts. For the January post, the recipient is YOU! After an intro and some questions, you’ll find five beautifully-wrapped “gifts” with your name attached. These gifts will enable you to care for yourself so that you can care for others as God designs. Scene One First, imagine yourself on a 747. The flight attendant advises passengers to secure their own oxygen mask before assisting others should a need arise. Why? Because if you’re struggling to breathe, you might not be competent to help fellow passengers. Scene Two While we’re “in the air,”…
Tag: jeannie waters
Why New Year’s Resolutions Don’t Work
Like most people, I made New Year’s resolutions for decades. Some of them lasted until April, and some of them . . . well, would you believe some ended January 2? Even with good intentions, the resolutions or promises we make to ourselves often disappear like wind-blown dandelion seeds. Do these resolutions sound familiar? Stop eating sugar. Exercise daily. Complete home projects. Volunteer to help others. Memorize Bible verses. All worthy objectives, right? Sure. There’s not a bad intention on the list. Then why don’t we achieve them? I can only speak for myself. 3 Reasons Why I Failed at…
Christmas Cleaning
Clean and Christmas just go together, don’t they? We clean so that we can decorate, and then we clean and remove containers after decorating. We clean before cooking delicious meals and baking, and then we wash the pots and pans until our fingertips turn into “raisins.” We clean before company comes and then vacuum and straighten the house when they leave., So much cleaning! Our homes should be diamond-sparkly this time of year. (Remember the old Mr. Clean commercials?) Although our homes where people and pets live are rarely, if ever, spotless, we do like tidiness at holiday time. Before…
Snapshots of Christmas
These snapshot recollections of Christmas helped shape my faith and my life. I hope they spark memories of yours. Chocolate Covered Cherries and a $100 Bill Each Christmas, my granddaddy gave my grandmother a box of this candy with a $100 bill on top. One year after opening presents, they realized the money was missing. After a thorough search, they concluded the crisp green bill had been crumpled with the wrapping paper and tossed into the fireplace. Although my grandmother was unhappy about losing her monetary gift, she looked past that to enjoy her family. That memory reminds me how…
Echo of the Heart
Yesterday, an echocardiogram revealed important information about my heart. I’m thankful the report was good. During the procedure, I was amazed to see the inner workings of my heart on the screen. As the tech moved the probe around, some views showed all four chambers working in tandem, and some views showed how valves were operating. This technology enables cardiologists to assess heart health by observing the heart muscle at work and checking the efficiency of its pumping action. Beyond the view of modern medicine, God sees into our heart of hearts. . . . For the Lord sees not…