Easter....Remember the TRUE Meaning

This past week at work we had the Easter Bunny make a visit. That got me to thinking. Easter like Christmas has become over commercialized.  We have Santa at Christmas and the Easter Bunny at Easter. However, it seems that the true meaning of the holiday is lost. 

Many years ago Jesus at age 33 gave up his life on a cross on Calvary to save you and me from our sinful ways. That was and still is a big deal. I mean Jesus didn't have to do that. However, he wanted to do that for us. 

If Jesus had not done that what a different world we would be living in. That is a fact. We would still all be sinners. Jesus paid the ultimate price for us. He became the sacrificial lamb to take away the sin of the world. That is a big deal.

My sister and I were discussing it just the other day. When we were kids we didn't put much stock in the Easter Bunny. Sure Mom and Dad and the Grandparents brought that idea to life for us. Aunt Sandra was different. No Easter Bunny at her house. Instead of giving us a chocolate bunny it was always chocolate crosses and chocolate praying hands along with Easter Tracts with the Easter story i them. 

Jesus is a big deal. We should remember his sacrifice on the cross at this time of year. We should not let the Easter Bunny become the center of the season. We should make Jesus the reason for the season. 

So as you celebrate Easter please remember the TRUE meaning of the holiday. Please remember Jesus and what he did for you and me.  

Life isn't burger king. You can always have it your way.

I tend to want to have things perfect or my way lots of times. I use to get very mad when things didn't go the way I thought that they should. I was one that had to have it my way . I have since that time figured it out that that is not a way to live at all.

I have run into people over the years that believe that things have to be their way or the highway. They can not stand not being in control of life and the people in it. That is a sad way to be. You end up hurting yourself and others. You make people mad at you. You loose friends. Sometimes you even loose your job over it.

People who have to have things their way all the time are covering up something that is going wrong in their lives. They don't want people to know that what is going wrong. That is sad. These are the ones that really need help.

For example a person could be covering for an abusive relationship that they are in. They don't want people to know that what has been perfect to them is now falling apart. They are not able to control their personal life so now they will make everyone that they come in contact with miserable. They will bring them down with them. I don't like having to deal with people like this. 

Get with the program. You can't have it your way all the time. Resentment from others is a big thing that happens. You need to let others be in the driver seat. Let others have control. Then you can sit back and work on the problem that is at hand. 

Remember to fix the problem in your life before you let it get out of control and hurt others. When you have a problem you tend to hurt others in the process. You tend to bring others down with you. That needs to never happen. 

When I have a problem I seek God. I pray to him and give the problem over to him. I let him be in the driver seat. Then things all work out for the good. It is in his time too. I feel so much better about it.

So remember that in life you can't always have it your way. When things get out of control seek help and fix the problem before it gets worse than what it is.

Listening to God Speak

It finally happened to me. After years of praying to God I finally had it happen to me. I finally heard him speak to me. I was so happy to hear him. I thanked him for finally speaking to me. I think that the reason that he finally spoke to me is that I was finally listening to what he had to say to me.

That is the thing. We talk to God and then we get so caught up with life that we forget to take time to listen to see if God is going to speak to us. Failing to listen for God's voice means that we are going to miss out on a wonderful blessing. God has great things in store for us. We just need to pay attention and find out what they are. 

I have learned that the key to listening for God to speak is patience. We need to have patience and faith in order to hear from God. In this day and age most people want instant results. However, God has his own timing and he will speak to you when he is good and ready too. We need to wait on him.

So when God finally spoke to me I was ready to hear and receive what he had to say to me. What a blessing it was. I know that he has big plans in store for me. I have received his promise and I am ready for God to act. 

The first step to hearing from God is to pray. Prayer is talking to God and telling him what you need. Then once that is done you need to step back and listen for him to answer you. You need to have faith that he will do it when he feels that it is right for it. Once he speaks to you then you either need to act or let him do his thing. It is that simple.

Open up your ears more to hear from God. You might hear him when you least expected it. 

Pull The Log Out Of Your Eye

There are people that judge me all the time. They make comments about how I dress, do my hair, my lifestyle, and so on. It is just what these people do. They live for it. Strive to see how far they can go to push mine or anyone else's buttons. I have learned over the years to just laugh and walk away. I don't give in to it. Why?

Well, here is the reason. These type of people are covering for a deeper issue in life. They have something deeper going on that they don't want others to know about. So they will find someone to pick on or belittle so that they can deflect the problem off of them.

For example a person in your church pulls you aside each week after service to berate you about one thing or another. Everything going wrong at church is your fault. You can't do anything right in their eyes. What do you do? Pray about it. God shows you that this person is having problems. Their house is up for sale. You knew that already that this person has plans to move to the beach with their spouse. What is new you ask God. He shows you that once this person's house sells that their spouse is planning on divorcing them and moving to the beach on their own. You feel for them. You ask God to help them see what is going to happen before it is too late. 

I like to say that in this situation it would seem that one would need to pull the log out of their own eye before pulling the speck out of yours. They need to clean up their own house before coming to clean yours. 

Some people have the nerve to come and tell you how to live your life when their life is not perfect either. No one's life is perfect by any means. So if we have problems in our life we need to take it to God instead of taking it our on others. 

We end up not only hurting ourselves worse, but also hurting someone else in the end. Not a good thing.

Pull the log out of your eye before you go trying to pull the speck out of someone else's. It will do you good.

Christian Dress Code

Some time ago I was told that how I dressed to come to church was not following what the bible says about how we should dress to come to church.  I was puzzled by that statement. I was told that women should not wear pants and also should keep their heads covered at all times. I had to shake my head a bit at this interpretation of the bible.  

Part of this is true. In the bible it does say that women need to keep their heads covered. However, there is nothing in the bible that mentions how women should other wise dress. Back in bible times everyone (men and women) wore long robes or dresses. Pants didn't come along till much later. So how could the bible talk about not wearing them if they did not exist at that time?

The bible does say that you should come in your best to see Jesus. That means if your best is jeans or nice looking pants then wear them. God wants to see our hearts. We need to be concerned with how we dress our hearts than ourselves. 

Yes we need to wear nice clothes to church. We need to be neat and orderly. That does not mean that you have to come dressed in a ball gown to church. It means that you come dressed in what you have. Not everyone can afford to dress to the 9s. 

Some denominations have dress codes. I can remember my Grandpa Rittenour talking about when he was a child how the Mennonites dressed. It was and still is similar to the Amish. I have a friend who is old order Mennonite and she makes her own dresses. Very beautiful at that. I admire people who have such a strong faith that they can stick to something like that. 

There are some other denominations like the Brethren that have women to wear prayer coverings. I can remember my Aunt Virginia wearing one each time we went to church. My dad called it her sin sifter. I think he was trying to poke fun at her.

I know in the Middle East the dress code for Women in that they show nothing but their eyes. Everything is covered all the time. I think that would have to get hot.  

I don't think that how you are dressed matters. I think that it is what is in your heart that matters. God looks at the heart. If your heart is not right with him then he is not pleased. 

So the next time you go to church think about how not only are you dressed, but your heart as well. You need to wear what you feel is your best dress not only on  your body, but also your heart.

Extreme Cold

I am one to shout it from the roof tops that I don't like winter. I am not a fan of the snow and ice that is associated with winter, but more so I hate the cold temps. Recently here in West Virginia we have had a spell where the weather has been extremely cold.  That is to say that the wind has been wild, temps fall into the teens, and it feels like in the minus numbers. Not something that I like a whole lot.

So when the extreme cold hits you need to be safe. First if you have to go outside bundle up. Heavy coat, hat, gloves, thick socks, heavy pants, etc. This will keep you warm. Also if you have to go some place you need to give your car time to warm up. Check make sure to check your decks and steps for water and clear it off. That way ice will not form.

Dress in layers. You can take clothes off and on if needed. Make sure that your home is air tight so that you don't loose heat in the winter. In extreme cold it will take more to heat your home. Make sure you have lots of blankets on your bed and even invest in an electric blanket. 

Make sure to bring outdoor pets inside. Also if you have children make sure to bundle them up when they go outside. Not being properly dressed can cause you to get sick very quickly. Hypothermia and Frost bite can also happen.

So as I head off to bed I will be dressed warm, two pairs of socks on my feet, 3 blankets on the bed, my electric blanket turned on, and I will sleep well. When I go out I will be dressed in layers, 2 pairs of socks on me feet, hat, gloves, heavy coat, and let the car warm up before I head out. Not taking any chances.

Can't wait for winter to be over.

New Years Resolutions

It is that time of year again. New Years Eve and we begin to make New Years Resolutions. You know those things that we have the best of intention of doing in the new year and after about a few days totally forget about. Sure, I like a lot of you have made New Years Resolutions that I have not stuck to in the past. This year I feel that I can stick with the resolutions that I have made.

So here are the resolutions that I hope to stick with in 2017,

1. Reading my bible more
2. Spending more time in prayer
3. Snacking less
4. Instead of snacking drink water
5. No eating after 7pm
6. Drink more water
7. Go to bed at a decent hour
8. Less technology and more time with family and friends
9. Exercise More
10. Write in a journal

I hope that in 2017 that I can stick to these resolutions for myself. I know that it will not be easy, but it will be a challenge that I am up for.

What are your New Years Resolutions? Do you have any? Do you chose not to make any?