Be Kind......Always

This quote came across Facebook a few days ago:

Always be kinder than you feel. - Unknown

It just so happened that day that I had a headache, allergies were in high gear, and it was the day before school started.....not a good combination.  I'm pretty sure I wasn't being kind at some points during the day.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I was just being plain grouchy!

After I read that quote myself, I read it to my kids.  They didn't understand until I explained it to them....explained my own circumstances of the headache, allergies, and the fact I don't like it when they  have to go back to school because I miss them being home.....all things that were making me grouchy.  Then they got it.  But then I had to explain something that I try to teach them all of the time.  I was ALLOWING those things to bother me and I was ALLOWING myself to be grouchy.  Those things can't MAKE me that way!  Hmmmmmm.......I suppose I wasn't "practicing what I preach" to well, was I?  Nope.  I wasn't.  So, I apologized to them and took an ibuprofen and allergy medicine :).

Sometimes it isn't easy to be kinder than we feel.  Sometimes we hurt physically.  Sometimes we hurt mentally.  Sometimes we hurt emotionally.  And sometimes we hurt spiritually.  We don't want to be kind.  We don't want to be loving and caring.  But we must.  We must because God is kind to us.

Even in our pain and trials, headaches and allergies, we may be the ONLY light someone may see.  If we're not shining brightly, we're missing a wonderful opportunity to share Christ with others.

Be kind.  Be kinder than you feel.  Always.

Shine Like Stars, friends!

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.

1 Thessalonians 5:15

Be A Glowworm!

Just a short, quick thought for this Monday morning.  Looking at quotes the other day, I came across  one:

“We are all worms, but I do believe I am a glowworm." - 

Sir Winston Churchill

This quote made me think of "Alas And Did My Savior Bleed" and the verse that says "For such a worm as I". We are all "worms" (sinners), but hopefully we're glowworms, too....letting our lights shine!

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorifyyour Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Are you a glowworm????  Are you shining brightly for the Lord???


Have a great week!

What About the Stars?

The other day I was thinking about the stars and then began to think about the theme verse of this blog, Philippians 2:14-15, "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe."


As Christians we're to "Shine Like Stars", so I was thinking about characteristics of the stars.  When I went to the NASA website it was interesting to see that stars have five characteristics:  brightness, color, surface temperature, size, and mass (amount of matter).  Can these characteristics tell Christians anything about living our lives "shining as stars"?  I think they can.  Let's see!

1.  BRIGHTNESS
Just as stars shine in various degrees of brightness, Christians "shine" in various degrees as well.  Differently, but each one shining in an important way.  As Christians, we all have different jobs, different abilities, different talents....but each person is important in God's kingdom.  Yes, some jobs or talents are more "seen" by others, but that doesn't make the person more important. Through the blood of Jesus we form the one body....the church.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 

Romans 12:3-5

2. COLOR

Who knew that stars had different colors?  I sure didn't! NASA states that stars vary in colors from yellowish, blueish, and reddish.  Interesting!  So, in our Christian life, of course we all have varying degrees of actual skin color...depending on our ethnicity, but let's think of "color" having to do with the brightness of our light.

As Christians we are to let our lights shine.  But, just like real stars sometimes are hidden by clouds, sometimes we let things get in the way where our lights aren't shining like they should.  We have to get rid of the "stuff" that gets in the way of our lights shining.  By serving others, working in a way that glorifies God, and taking the time to tell others about Jesus, we are not only living as "shining stars", but we are also pointing others in the same direction.  

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. 

Matthew 5:14-16

3.  SURFACE TEMPERATURE

Stars are hot...very hot... but, they vary in degrees of "hotness".

Christians vary in degrees, also.  We may be cold.  Maybe our desire for serving God is gone.  Maybe something got in the way of our shining light and eventually our light went out.  Or maybe we're kind of on fire for God, but it just depends.  Sometimes we are.  Sometimes we're not.  We're lukewarm.  But maybe we're totally on fire for God and Jesus!  Maybe we are letting our lights shine brightly, and we're completely committed to Him. That's what God and Jesus want from us - our total commitment.

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
Revelation 3:15-16

4.  SIZE

Stars vary greatly in size.  The variation in size and temperature determines the stars' brightness. 

When one first becomes a Christian, they are described as "babes".  We may know the elementary teachings of Christ - described as "milk" - but don't fully know about the Bible.  But, eventually the Christian will mature....or at least we should mature.  The mature Christian will move on to "solid food".  In both 1st Corinthians and Hebrews, we read of the early Christians who had some trouble with maturing.  

Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?  

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

We have much to say about this, but it is hard to explain because you are slow to learn. In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness.

Hebrews 5:11-13

5.  MASS (Amount of matter)

The mass of a star refers to the amount of matter it has or basically it's density.  A definition of density is "the degree to which something is filled".  

As Christians, our lives can be consumed by all sorts of things - physical and material things or spiritual things.  Idolatry is often spoken about in the Bible.  Idolatry is anything put in place of God or in front of God.  As Christians we must guard our lives so that nothing becomes more important than God and Jesus in our lives.  In everything we do, we must keep God and Jesus first.....or I like to look at it as keeping Him in the center of our lives and everything else to the outside.  Our lives should be filled up with God, with Jesus, with His Word, and by being a part of His church....the church Jesus died for.

Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 12:1-2

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Galatians 2:20 

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

Ephesians 5:25-27

Using these star characteristics we can "Shine Like Stars".

So SHINE, Christian - SHINE!

Happy Holidays?

When I was a Freshman in High School, my great-grandpa passed away in December.  The next year my great uncle was killed in a car accident, also in December.  Believe it or not, the next December, another tragedy affected our family.  My great aunt and uncle on the other side of the family were both killed when hit by a semi truck.  Understandably so, the next year, I dreaded December.  I wasn't sure what would happen after three years of tragedies.  Thankfully, nothing happened that next year.

Last Friday, as I was cleaning up from the elementary Christmas party, I was visiting with the school nurse about their Christmas plans.  She was so excited about her family getting to stay home Christmas Day.  All extended family plans were later on that evening or on other days.  She talked about how usually they were not able to stay home on Christmas because of family obligations.  She was also looking forward to the two week break and relaxing with her family.

The next day I learned that the school nurse's mother had passed away that morning.  I was so sad to hear the news and it breaks my heart that she and her family will be facing grief during this time of year.  Death of a loved one is hard at any time, but around the holidays it seemed like that grief is compounded even more.

Today after worship services I thought about the prayer list of so many who were sick, awaiting surgery, or who had lost loved ones.  During this happy and joyous time of year - time of celebration - don't forget those who are hurting or maybe grieving.  Don't forget those who may be lonely.

The happiest time of year for some may possibly be the worst time of year for others.  However, we can reach out to those who are hurting by extending a helping hand and a caring heart.  By showing Christ's love to others we are letting our lights shine.  Just another way to "Shine Like Stars."

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

Connections - Blogs and Facebook

Be sure to vote on the new monthly Fun Poll:  "What's your favorite soft drink?"

Visit Laura's blog, Heavenly Homemakers, for more of GRATITUESDAY.

Isn't it amazing how connected we are these days?  Through the internet we are able to communicate with each other more than we ever could have dreamed of 20 years ago. 

I am especially grateful for the blogosphere which allows me the opportunity to "meet" so many new people all over the world.  I'm also grateful  for Facebook, which helps keep friends connected.  Some Facebook friends I've known for a long time and some only for a short time.  But, it's great to have the capability to communicate with so many of them in this way.  In our busy and hurried lives, it's nice to be able to sit down and jot someone a quick note of encouragement or to find out about what is going on in their lives.  The internet has brought a whole new way of keeping in contacting with each other and seeing into their lives via pictures and notes. The social aspect of the internet isn't for everyone and I'm sure it's not all used for good, either. But, from my vantage point, it's good.  Of course, many aren't interested in having a part of it, and that's okay.  (My husband is one of them :) although he doesn't mind if I'm on it.) We're all different - God made us that way.

I first got on Facebook right after the New Year and made a promise to myself:  If I was going to be on it, I was going to use it for good - to encourage others, to reach out to others, and to glorify God.  Many times I post a scripture on the status line.  Maybe it's a scripture that I've thought about during the day or maybe it's something I feel would help one of my "friends".   Many of my "friends" are uplifted by the scriptures.  If I can tell that someone is having a bad day by what they write on Facebook, I try to encourage them.  It's a whole new way of reaching out to others and a way to "Shine Like Stars".   And, in turn, my online friends encourage me, too.  It's great!

Connections through the blogospher continue to amaze me.  Jesus said, "go into all the world" and now the blog is another way of doing that!  But, when I began this blog, it was for selfish reasons, really.  Of course I wanted to glorify God in what I was doing, but I also wanted to do it for me.  I had just finished six years of teaching a ladies Bible class and missed it quite a bit.  I needed something to fill that void in my own life, so made the blog a goal for myself.  I knew that would help me think more about God in everyday life and keep me digging into His Word even more.  But, it didn't take long until my selfishness went away.  I then began writing for YOU.  I felt accountable to everyone that visited "Shine Like Stars" and read my posts...and I still do!  I want you to keep me accountable!   I pray that this blog has glorified God, but also that it has encouraged you.

Another connection made by the blogosphere is a recipe blog my mom, sister and I started in June.  It has been fun for all three of us and we've enjoyed sharing our recipes with so many of you.  If you haven't seen it, go to "Life's a Bowl of Cherries".  We would love to have you stop by! 

What are you grateful for today?

"This Little Light of Mine!"

One of the favorite songs for my Pre-K and Kindergarten students to sing in Bible class is "This Little Light of Mine". They put their little finger up in the air and move it around in a big circle showing that their little lights are shining. They sing that they "won't let Satan "blow" it out". They sing "hide it under a bushel? NO!". They sing "shine it all around Tipton!"

It's a simple song, but just think about how big those words are! If we let our little lights shine, we are doing just what God has asked us to do. We won't let Satan get in the way and snuff out our lights; in fact, we won't hide it at all. We'll put it up on a hill to shine brightly. We'll let it shine wherever we are. Right here. Right now.

How can you shine during this next week? Let your light shine for God! Let your light shine for Jesus!

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16

It's Been A Circus Around Here!

Yes, it's been a circus around here! A literal circus, as well as a figurative one! This year, the Kindergarten teacher chose "circus" as the theme for her room. The students won two parties from the PTO for collecting the most box tops and labels. They were treated to a party recently and I decided to make these cupcakes for them to go along with their circus theme.

So then, along come's Teacher Appreciation Week the first week in May. But, our elementary teachers were having a "Biggest Loser" contest and didn't want to eat the food the PTO usually prepares while on the diet. They said they would eat if we would wait until the last weigh-in! So we waited until after their contest ended and fed them last Thursday and Friday, plus yesterday and today (Monday & Tuesday). The theme was "Under the Big Top" and the decor stayed up in the workroom during the celebration. It was a travelling "circus", making stops in Italy (Italian food was served), Oklahoma (circus fun food), Hawaii (fruit, snacks) and Mexico (soft tacos). The circus theme seems to be carrying on throughout the year!

When it came time to plan Kindergarten Graduation, a circus theme was choosen. The students used the alphabet to go along with a character one might see at the circus. Tyler was Melvin the Magnificant Clown. Lots of fun for all the kids!

With each of our four children, after Kindergarten Graduation, we've hosted a party at our house following the graduation program. Tonight there were 12 kindergatrten students, plus their families and others who came for the hot dog cookout. There are 21 in Tyler's class, so not everyone came, but we still had about 70 in attendance!

Our third child, Jacob, agreed to be the clown for the party. The students seemed to enjoy having him dressed up and acting the part for a little while.

My mother-in-law enjoys making cakes and does a great job at it. She made this circus cake for the graduation party.


Tyler decided to put on the clown wig, just for jokes.


We've got one more circus event planned in Tipton in the next few days. Tyler's Kindergarten teacher has been named "Teacher of the Year" for the school. I usually decorate for this event each year and as a surprise for her, it is going to be a circus theme. I am even going to use the stage background she had made for the program tonight as party of the decorations for her celebration! But, shhhhhh! Don't tell her! It's a secret!

God gives all of us gifts, talents, abilities. How do we use them to serve others? Every day we wake up with new opportunities to use our talents to serve others. By doing so we are "Shining Like Stars" for Jesus!

ESTABLISH YOUR PRIORITIES

"E" is the final letter in the Shine Like Stars devotionals. It stands for "Establish Your Priorities." Let’s talk about priorities. You will see a list of priorities below. Take a minute to put these in order. 1 is your highest priority - 13 your lowest.

____ Relationships/Friendships _____ Finances
____ Job _____ School
____ Appearance _____ God
____ Recreation/Pleasure _____ Family
____ Worship/Church _____ Volunteering
____ Material Things/Possessions _____ Exercise/Health
____ Other: ____________________

If you are like me, after you’ve finished your priority list, you feel guilty about some of them. You may want to put God first, but sometimes, deep down, you know how often you’ve failed to put Him first.

Well, I want to tell you that this list is misleading, but for a purpose. For years I struggled with how to keep God first in my life, but still do all of the other things I needed to do. You may feel that way, too.

Now think about the priorities in your life. All of your priorities will fall into these categories: God, Self, Family/Friends, Church, Work/School, World (car, home, etc. material possessions, but needed possessions). Now think about an image of a star. Imagine putting one group of priorities at each point of the star.

Now, where should God be in your star? IN THE CENTER!! He should be the center of everything. He is not ONE of the priorities, he is THE priority. Everything else should be balanced around God. You can serve God while taking care of church work, your physical work/job, school/college, your friends and your families, your self, and the things of the world for which we are responsible.

God wants to be a part of your everyday life - each and every day!

POINTS TO PONDER:
God wants to be with you as you plan for your future.
God wants to be with you in all of our relationships, causing them to flourish.
God desires to work along beside you.
God wants you to include Him in all of your decisions - from your appearance to your finances.
God loves joining you with your friends and our family, but also in your quiet times of solitude.
God wants to be the focus of your worship and in all of your acts of service as you follow in Jesus’ footsteps.
God wants to help you make decisions in all aspects of our life, from big decisions to little decisions.

Here are some questions to ask yourself:
What do your friends see as priorities in your life?
What does your family see as the priorities in your life?
Most importantly, what does God see as priorities in your life?

Use every day of your life to SHINE LIKE STARS. The dark world needs you!

Have a great day!

Never Give Up!

"N" is for NEVER GIVE UP. In our text of Philippians 2:12-14, Paul tells the Christians at Philippi to live as shining stars "in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing." He wasn’t saying this to boast about himself, but to give God the glory for letting him be an influence in the lives of these Christians.

As we hold up the word of life to those around us, some will listen and respond and some will not. We can not give up, even when it seems that everything is against us…that no one really cares.

When do you feel like giving up?
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like, in some situations, that I am the only one that really cares about some certain thing….of course at this time I begin complaining and thinking selfishly and looking inward instead of looking outward and upward toward God. It is at these times we have to stick with the task God has given us and not give up. Other times we may feel like giving up is when we are tired and weary. At these times we should ask ourselves if we are too busy "doing" for Christ, but not taking the time to "be" with Him.

What should we do when we feel like giving up?
At times when you or I feel like quiting the race, we should become even more committed to God in prayer and study. It's easy at these rough times to begin to think selfishly about our wants and desires, when what we really need is to grow closer to God. And remember this verse, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.

ILLUMINATE YOUR WORLD!

Today we are looking at the letter "I". Our goal in our Christian walk should be to illuminate the world with our light. Matthew 5:14-16 says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." 

As Christians, it isn't up to us whether to be a light or not - we are lights because we are Christians. However, it is up to us as to how bright or dim our light will be. Jesus wants our lights to be bright, giving light to everyone around us.

What should we do when our lights begin to dim? When our batteries seem to be getting weak? We can recharge our batteries to make our lights brighter and brighter, by constantly growing in God’s Word and letting His Word live through us. Our lights will become brighter when we plug ourselves in to the power source - GOD!

Have you ever noticed that the darker a room is the brighter a little light seems to be? It's the same with our light, it should shine brightly in the world. You may feel that your one little light can't make a difference, but it can! When people around you see your light shining brightly remember who you are shining for - Jesus! And as the verse above reminds, it is God our Father who will be praised because of your light.

Hold Out the Word of Life

Continuing the S.H.I.N.E. acrostic, "H" is Hold Out the Word of Life. Paul encouraged the church in Phillipi to hold out the word of life. Other versions say "hold fast to the word of life". What is the word of life? It is the message that brings life - which is the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus. So, we should "hold on" to this truth in our own faith and also "hold it out" for others to see as we strive to "Shine Like Stars" in the universe.

How can we do this? By being different than the world. The text of Philippians 2:15 calls the world a crooked and depraved generation. Crooked means bent, not straight. Depraved is morally corrupt or perverted (KJV says perverse). As Christians, we should be set apart from the world. This is the meaning of being holy and living a holy, righteous life—to be set apart. We are not to engage in the sinful activities the world promotes, nor are we to retain the crooked and depraved mind that the world creates. Rather, we are to conform ourselves, and our minds, to that of Jesus Christ.

Romans 12:1-2 says "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - his good, pleasing and perfect will." This is a daily activity and commitment.

Several years ago I came across this quote on my mom's bulletin board:

YOU CAN’T WATCH WRONG,

READ WRONG, LISTEN WRONG,

AND THINK RIGHT.

What we choose to do in our daily lives really does affect us and our thinking, even though we may not want to admit it. Also, the choices we make can have an impact on our ability to hold out the word of life (the Good News of Jesus) to others.

How can I SHINE?

In my study, I began to make an acrostic using the word SHINE. Beginning with "S", it was logical to start with the first part of the verse "do everything without arguing or complaining". "S", then would be STOP ARGUING AND COMPLAINING! Sounds easy enough, doesn't it? Well, we all know, this isn't always easy to do and for some of us, it's harder than it is for others of us. At the time I began this study, my mom had this verse on her chalkboard in her kitchen. That is a pretty good thing for us to do - put a much-needed verse where we are reminded of it throughout our entire day. In fact, Deuteronomy 6:6-9 refers to just that. We may need many verses posted around the house to remind us of God's Word and how relevant it is to our everyday lives.

Here's a question for each of us: Why do we complain and argue? Let's look at three reasons we may argue and complain.

1. We argue and complain because we are selfish. Maybe things are not going the way we want them to. Maybe they truly are not going the way that would be best, but we have to be really careful to not be selfish in our thinking...make sure that we are not only looking to our own interests, but are concerned about the interests in others and their well-being. Am I being selfish in my thinking? Is what I am upset about really that important?

2. We argue and complain because we are suffering. None of us really want to suffer in any way, do we? But is what we are going through really suffering or is it the persecution that God's Word tells us we will endure and that we should willingly endure to allow our faith to become stronger? Remember that James 1:2-3 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." God may be allowing this trial in our lives to test our faith and help us grow.

3. We argue and complain because we are unthankful. Sometimes we fail to see just how much God has really blessed us. We concentrate on the negatives instead of on the positives. We let the little petty stuff fill our minds and our spirit, instead of dwelling on what is truly important. We begin to look inward at ourselves, instead of looking upward toward God. When we look to ourselves or even look to others for happiness, we will always be disappointed. Only our faith and trust in God and His ability to supply us with everything we need, will keep us from being unthankful.

How can we learn to not complain?
The most important thing we can do in learning not to complain is to learn to be content. We, as Americans, tend to want more and more. We are not satisfied with what we have, but constantly strive to have bigger and better. Paul later tells us the key for being content. He says in Philippians in 4:12-13 "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret (emphasis mine) of being content in any and every situation, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. The secret, Paul says, is getting our strength from Christ and nothing else. Being content by being in Jesus, as a child of God.

How can we learn to not argue?
By listening to others opinions and not thinking my way is the only way, and sometimes by just letting things go. Remember what Philippians 2:15 says “so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God, without fault. When we do choose to complain and argue, we are not being blameless and pure and we are surely not looking like children of God, without fault.

We can all make make an effort to stop arguing and complaning, but most likely it is something we will work on for a long time. We may fail and go back to our old ways in this area, but by putting our faith in God and realizing like Paul did that it is Christ who gives us strength, then with His help, we will stop the arguing and complaining. We will be making an effort to not continue in this sin. In order to "Shine Like Stars" we must also strive to imitate Christ.

Star Light, Star Bright

A few years ago, I was preparing a lesson for ladies' class. I was reading in Philippians and got to a very familiar verse, 2:14, which says "do everything without grumbling or complaining". That verse is something I keep in mind at many times, yet don't always take to heart. In fact, I think I've probably even quoted that verse to my children to make a specific point about an attitude they may be displaying :).

But, reading on, into verse 15-16, I read something that I had probably read before, but it never had really sunk it. ..."so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars (emphasis mine) in the universe..."
Wow! Putting those three verses together makes it very real that my attitude - and my grumbling and complaining - not only affects me and those in my family or have a close relationship with, but can also influence those around me that I may not even realize I have an influence on - those that I just casually meet with from time to time.

I decided to turn my focus to these few verses and find out more about how as Christians we should, indeed, "Shine Like Stars". More about those findings will be posted later.
Lori