Where Does this Road Lead?

  We all have bumps in the road right?  It’s all part of the journey of life and some might even call it a growing process.  I found this quote today and thought it was very applicable to somethings that have been going on in my family as of late.

No deaths, or serious illnesses, no broken bones, but there is my husband’s injuries that we are still dealing with, and will be for some time.  He has not yet been cleared for his final shoulder surgery…YET, but hopefully that will happen at the end of May and he can begin (again) the healing process.  This has definitely been a stumble in our road, but hey, at least we are still on the road!

Recently, there has been some turmoil at our church.  There have been some changes made that not everyone is happy about.  I get it, change is hard, and I can honestly say that I, myself, am not a big fan of change, but sometimes it is necessary to keep up with the times.  We won’t know if it is good or bad until we give it a try, if it’s good…GREAT, if not…that’s ok, we can try something else.  I think the most important thing to remember in dealing with change, it that in order to make it possible, we must enter into it with an open mind.

Remember that I work at the church, but I also attend the church and this is the church that I grew up in as well.  Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Confirmation (twice, once with my daughter Alex), and I was married at this church.  Saying that this place is very special to me is almost an understatement!  The people who come here, whether it be on Sunday morning to worship, or simply come to quilt, or to some other function, they are like an extension of my own family and I love them all very much, they truly are special people to me.  So when there is a stumble on this road, it’s tough too!

I came home the other night from a meeting at the church, it was a long one, lot’s to talk about, and of course, it involved some changes.  I will spare you the details, but I know that there were some people there who were unhappy when they left, some more so than others.  Anyone who knows me well, knows that I don’t like tension with in a group, especially a group of people whom I care for.  When I left, my heart was heavy and it was hurting.  This is a stumble in our road, but at least we are still on the road, and I think that should count for something.

Someone else who was at the meeting said the following words from James 2:17 “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”  I have thought so much about that the last 2 days and it is has amazed me!!  Just for example, when we get into our cars to go to work in the morning, we have faith that it will get us there.  Does our car sometimes break down?  Sure it does, but we get it fixed (or a new one) and we’re still on the road.  When the farmer plants his crops in the spring, he plants them on Faith, right…for rain and sunshine.  Does the farmer stumble?  Of course!!  But he is out there again the next spring with the same faith.  Think about everything, and I mean EVERYTHING you do throughout your day and take note of how much faith it requires to make it through until bedtime.  It’s amazing!!

My point is this: WE WILL ALL HAVE STUMBLES IN OUR ROADS, but it doesn’t mean the journey is over!  It could mean that it is just beginning, and who knows, maybe it will take you to a place you’ve never been before.  Sure, it’s scary, but at least we’re still on the road!

“LEARN THE WISDOM OF COMPROMISE, FOR IT IS BETTER TO BEND A LITTLE THAN TO BREAK.”

You Character, You!

This quote is one of the best that I have seen in a long time, and my how true that is!!  I also like the one that says something like “Just because you go to church doesn’t make you a Christian anymore than standing in the garage makes me a car.”

The last thing I want to do is start a debate on religion or Christianity, but why is it that so many “self-proclaimed Christians” out there don’t back up their words with actions.  I am far from perfect, I sin, I swear on occasion, I gossip, I can be judgemental, but I also smile at strangers, donate money to charitable causes, volunteer my time, and I go to church almost every Sunday!  No one is truly perfect, but does that mean that we should stop trying to be?

I am going to issue a challenge to everyone who reads this.  Let’s start small, starting with your family members…say something nice to them every day, something like “you look nice” or “I appreciate you” things along those lines.  Do the same things with your friends or acquaintances that you meet in your day-to-day lives.  Next, let’s get a little bigger, when you see someone you don’t know on the street or in a store, say hello to them, or give them a compliment, just say something nice to them.  You might wonder, what if they scowl at me or don’t say anything back?!?  That’s ok….But what if they do?  Next, and only do this if you can afford it, make a donation to your local food pantry or homeless shelter.  You don’t even have to buy anything to do this, just go through your cupboards and put together somethings that you maybe have had for a while and don’t think you’ll need.  Take them to the respective places and donate them, it makes your heart warm.  The last thing that I want to challenge you to do is to Pay It Forward, and again, only do this if you can afford it.  If you are in the grocery store line and you think someone might benefit from having you pay for their items, do it.  If you are in a restaurant, pay for some else’s meal, if you know of someone who could use a boost of any kind, just do it!  There are tons of ways to Pay It Forward…and some day, the person or people who you helped, might be in a position to do the same for someone else, and they will remember what you did for them, and they will Pay It Forward too!

See how it works?  It’s not hard, but for some, it might be considered uncomfortable.  You know what though, being uncomfortable can be good, and it can lead to good things!!  Try it, you might like it 🙂

So, after you leave your pew on Sunday, remember, that is when the true test of character  begins…try it for a week.  Keep track of all the things you did, and even though God will already know, give Him an update…he’ll smile and your heart will be full.  You never know, you might have just been someones miracle!