Keep on Walking
Nobody likes to hear criticism because it stings! Whether it’s constructive or destructive, it’s unpleasant. It reminds us that we make mistakes and just flat out aren’t perfect. We knew it but we don’t want the whole world to know it. However we need to realize that in order for us to be all that God calls us to be, we are going to face all kinds of reactions from people. Some will love us and some won’t. Some will be nice and some won’t. One of the biggest hurtles we have to overcome in life is wanting everybody to love us and approve of what we’re doing. Here’s the bad news! You can’t please all of the people all of the time. A very wise man once gave me some very valuable advice. He said, “Melissa, when people tell you that you’re great, keep on walking. And when people tell you that you’re awful, keep on walking.” I’ve remembered those words through the years and how true they are! If you can do that, you can stay balanced. Lean too far one way and you’ll fall into pride. Go the other way and depression will set in. Neither…
NOW is your assignment!
Heaven is your destination: NOW is your assignment”. Every day, we are surrounded by assignments from Heaven. Most of them look like interruptions, coincidences, or nuisances! Want to know what your assignment is today? I’ll give you a hint… It will always involve people. So maybe it would be a good idea if we started watching people and asking God if there’s something we can do to change their situation, lift their spirits or come to their aid. Start with prayer!
Forgive Yourself
I have two words to say that will radically change your life: Forgive yourself. It would be great if life had a rewind button but it doesn’t. We walk through it one time and one time only. Living a life of regrets and shame will keep us from forgiving ourselves. We don’t seem to have a problem understanding that God has forgiven us. God is not pleased when we continue beating ourselves up instead of realizing we have a job to do and it doesn’t involve the past. Not forgiving ourselves does one thing: it makes us miserable over and over again. God doesn’t want us to walk in ANY kind of unforgiveness. Now would be a great time to take care of that matter.
Give!!!
”It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you. It’s what you leave behind you when you go!” In this world are givers and takers. Takers look at what they can GET out of life and givers are looking for ways to LEAVE it a better place when they take their last breath. Need some ideas? Invest in a child, love without measure, compliment freely, laugh with people and not at them, and give…give all you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can!
Married and Loving it!
A generation ago, people believed in the sanctity of marriage. They fought their way through problems, went over obstacles, climbed mountains of difficulties but realized they were in this for the long haul…for better or worse. I, for one, admire those who stuck it out! They realized that marriage isn’t perfect and neither are people. So they looked for the best, overlooked the worst and believed for a better tomorrow. In the best of marriages, problems don’t leave, people do. All of us need to guard our relationships. True love “never gives up”.
Don’t Miss It!
Noah didn’t wait for his ship to come in…he built one! Noah wasn’t one to say: Well, God, this is your idea and it’s hot out here so I’ll build it in the spring! God, I don’t have any help! Tell you what God, I’ve always got tomorrow…yep, tomorrow’s my day! I wonder when we stand before God how many opportunities we missed by an inch with a mouth full of excuses