It’s A New Year and All That Jazz
Here we are on this Friday, January 13, 2017, wondering where half the month has gone!
Resolutions were made as all rang in the new year. Some vowed to record one positive thing that happened each day. Others were determined to hit the gym and eat healthier because it’s a new year and all that jazz! Everyone was so hyped up on December 31st and even January 1st for that matter. Are they still?
Do you realize that if you’ve fallen by the wayside after the first two weeks of this year that there is still hope? Well, I’m here to tell you that at any time you fall off the wagon, you can get right back on the very next day. There’s no need to give up just because you’ve not been able to stick with it thus far. Try, try again!
Don’t give up on yourself, because you know what? God will never give up on you.
It’s just like with the bible reading plans. With great determination, my 12 year old gathers her bible and her sheet that lists all the verses she is to read daily to meet her goal of reading the entire bible in a year. She asked me to join, and honestly, I was all in … until I saw just how many verses and chapters I need to read each day. To be honest, I fell off the wagon very early on. BUT, I haven’t given up on reading the bible this year. It seems like a daunting task of reading the ENTIRE bible in one year. The whole thing. Not just pieces and parts here and there that help me with what I might be going through or what I went through in the past.
THE ENTIRE BIBLE.
Wow.
And so, I’ll dust myself off and be more realistic with myself here. I know that looking at this 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper full of bible verses front and back is a lot for my brain to handle. I don’t know why I’m wired this way, but it seems overwhelming at first. Just like reading a super long book on my electronic reader. I can’t physically hold the book in my hand, so I don’t know how thick it is, yet I see ALL of those page numbers at the top. I try to read as fast as I can to absorb the book, but the numbers taunt me because I don’t seem to be making much progress. The numbers like 235 pages in a book that goes to 400 pages intimidates me. I’m not afraid to admit that. Likewise, when I CAN hold the bible in my hands and see how thick it is and how many pages it has in it, THAT intimidates me, too! Realitistically, I KNOW I can do it if I break it down a little at a time, thus the guidance brought forth with the bible reading sheet! So I will take a deep breath and try again.
You can, too! Be determined, just like my little 12 year old that curls up to read God’s Word. And her mother who is struggling, but trying, too! 🙂
John 13:34: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
I have been thinking about this passage a lot lately. With everything I see and hear going on in the world It seems everyone has completely lost touch with this part of Jesus’ teachings. I read and see people get angry over trivial things and then react with unbridled violence. I unfortunately had to experience something like this first hand quite recently.
It was a nice quiet New Year’s evening when at 8:30 p.m. I heard what I thought was firecracker’s very close to my home. I get up to look and see a car racing off. The police showed up within a few minutes. I went down to see what was going on and discovered that where a shootout in my front yard.
I live on a corner lot. Several people decided to use my house to setup an ambush for a car driving down one of the streets that pass my house. The shooting lasted for only about ten seconds. In that short time, there were 15 to 20 shots fired. There were spent shell casing on my front porch and strewn across my front lawn. I was extremely fortunate that these people could not aim well as my home did not get hit by gunfire; however, three of my neighbor’s homes were hit. The targeted car was hit four times and crashed up the street almost driving into a home. The shooters and those in the crashed car ran off before the police arrived.
It makes me wonder why in the world would anyone think to do something like this? What ever happened to caring about those around you? Yes, there will be times when you get upset over something someone does, but to have no consideration for the life of another or yourself I just don’t understand.
I think this passage of scripture has a message that we all need to think about and live by. There is so much hate being spewed on social media by people that don’t think anything of saying horrible things. It is very disheartening. We all need to follow the teachings of Jesus and live the life he asks us to and…
Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
The Christmas Gift of Technology
Christmas has come and gone, and some were left with the Christmas gift of technology! I know this was definitely the case for my 12 year old daughter. While she was so excited to have her very own phone, it was a scary leap that I, as a parent, took on her behalf. Realizing that she’s of the age now where she will be going off with friends more often and also wishing to stay home by herself to enjoy her new found independence, I felt it was time. She needs to have the ability to call me at any given moment, and now it will be easier with her very own phone.
It’s such an exciting time for her, yet it’s so scary because I know the not-so-nice-side of the internet. I realize the danger and what lurks out there. I battle her need to communicate with others with the bad things that I know can be easily found on the internet. You don’t even have to go looking for it. Often times, it’s seeking you out. That is why it is important to have some rules in place.
This morning, a friend shared this, and now I’d like to share it with others who may be having issues with their decision to put the gift of technology in their little one’s hands.
Click here for: The Cell Phone Contract and Guidelines For Technology or here for the entire article.
I encourage you to review, print, and discuss with your children as well. I plan to do just that tonight with my daughter!
Here’s to safety first where our children and technology are concerned!
