I Can't Do It!

Have you ever said the words, "I can't do it"?

I have, and it hurts my pride, ego (whats left after 53 years) when I have to admit that I can't do everything. 

I don't know it all! Now that should grab my children's and my family's attention.  But I admit it.  I have come to realize that not only do I not know everything, I can't know everything.  I can't do everything.  There are limits that are on me as an aging adult with many flaws that keep me from being able to believe I can do anything.  Knowing and doing are just as important in the realm of knowing to admit "Can't" as fighting the hatred I carried for those few words all of my life.

I hated admitting that I couldn't do it all.  I refused to make the statement that I didn't know something.  It was a war in my life that I, admittedly, still have to fight on occasion. 

But there is one thing I do know.  I know that because of the grace of my God and the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus, I have eternal life within me.  I know that there are no spiritual boundaries in my spiritual walk with the God I love.  I am not perfect and I get angry when I choose to sin, but I know my God is a forgiving God who searches our hearts and minds to know us and lead us toward Him.

When someone says that they "can't" do something, I am not as critical anymore.  When I hear someone say "I don't know" I am not as flippant about their remark as I once was.  I have a lot more patience with others and myself as I have matured (term used in expectation).

When you find yourself not knowing, it is okay to admit it.
When you find yourself not being able to do, it is okay to say, "I can't do it!"

Just make sure that when you are faced with the spiritual challenges in your life that you say, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"   Philippians 4:13

I'll see you later!

Black Sunday

I found the following article and just had to share it with the family here.  Be blessed.

Wow! I found the best deal ever and I want to share it with everyone I know. Forget about “Black Friday!” Forget about “Cyber Monday!” The REAL deal is something most people haven’t figured out yet. I am about to give you the best savings tip ever! I promise you will not find a deal this good at any retailer. Just read a bit further to find out about this amazing deal!

We’ve all heard about Black Friday. It is a day that retailers look forward to all year. It has the name Black Friday” because, traditionally, this is the day that many retailers go from being “in the red” (an accounting way of showing that expenses exceed revenue) to being “in the black” (revenue exceeds expenses). Black Friday, and the relatively new Cyber Monday (Internet sales), are generally the most profitable days of the year for many retailers. So why would you shop on a day that literally gets its name from the fact that companies are getting their greatest profit from YOU?

I HAVE A BETTER IDEA. Why not go somewhere that YOU profit from the expense of someone else! You see, the best deal isn’t Black Friday or Cyber Monday, but something we might call “Black Sunday.” About 2,000 years ago, Jesus went to the cross on our behalf. Corporate humanity was in debt for our sins. Rather than offering cheap deals, Jesus offered the most costly expense imaginable, His blood. And if that were the end of the story, then expenses would still exceed revenue and we would still be “in the red.”

But Sunday came, and with it, the greatest profit ever…the risen savior! Because of “Black Sunday,” we now benefit from His profit – salvation. That’s right. We get the profit, not some corporation! You don’t have to camp out all night or wait in line this Thursday. Christ rose on Sunday, and you can receive His gift TODAY! If you want to receive His “profit,” turn away from a life of sin, confess Jesus as the Son of God, and be baptized for the forgiveness of sin. Then begin attending a bible believing, New Testament church where you can learn more about walking in the light! What a deal! A true savings!  By Greg Wanderman.

 I'll see you later!

Does Time Heal All Wounds?

I have heard the statement that "Time heals all wounds." I have even used it on occasion until one day when I stopped and thought about the ramifications of this statement.

Time does not heal all wounds!  Time can heal wounds of a physical nature, but what about wounds that are inflicted with the desired interest of painful, lasting jolts of insult, hurt, and the ultimate destruction of the soul.

"Surely," you may ask, "no one would deliberately hurt someone to give them lasting or permanent pain?"

Yes, we see it everyday.  My sermon this past week was called "The Big Lie" and I spoke of the way we use our words and that the old saying "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me" is a lie.  Words hurt and there are those who are out there viciously hurting others with their words.

Many reasons are at the root of this attitude.  I remember a sermon I heard from one of my mentors, Jim Hackney.  He told of the children in the sand box playing together until one of them became upset at how the playing had progressed.  Ultimately all play stopped and words were slung with the savagery with the power that even adults will many times avoid.  One of the children who had a sand shovel and pale decided she/he didn't like the way things were going and so left the group vowing never to return.

We, as adults many times, do the same thing in our relationships and wounds are created and over time begin to fester and even bleed in an emotional mess.  Words can maim, wound and yes, even kill relationships and even total groups of people.

Time can't heal all those wounds.  It is impossible for them to go away, even when healed, without leaving the visible scars that torment us for the rest of our lives.  Words, used in anger, jealousy, hate, etc. are better left unspoken, because time does not heal all wounds, but scars remind us for the rest of our lives.

Be careful to choose slowness of speech as you are confronted with the situations in life that bring about the desire to sling the arrows of disgust, hatred, and anger.  Words do hurt and time can never heal all wounds.

I'll see you later!