“Other people always seemed better than me – more confident, more at ease…I only knew how I felt and how others looked.” Anonymous
As I came to meet and know their parents I quickly learned there was another single woman on the block struggling to raise her daughter without child support, a family down the street had a son with a serious illness, and my next door neighbors were filing for divorce. Although not happy to learn of other’s misfortunes, I was able to join in pray for the single mother, little boy who was ill, and the three young kids next door as their parents struggled in their relationship. But, in addition, I learned to be grateful for my problems that were nowhere near as serious as others. Now I’m learning that comparing my insides to other's outsides can be deceiving. It’s natural to want to hold our lives in place for bystanders, or even casual acquaintances, by using a sort of hairspray for our outsides. But on the inside we all have things we’re dealing with.
Are you envious of others who seem to have it all together? Does your life look dismal by comparison? What can you do today to curb the desire to compare and be grateful for life’s challenges? Lord, thank You for the challenges I have and the help you offer to face them anew each day. Amen “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so you can endure it.” I Corinthians 10:13 What are your thoughts? Libby
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“If you’re fighting your problems, you’re already on the losing side.” Canon GlennonYears ago I tried the liquid protein diet (and almost died), but I did lose a lot of weight in just six days. So much in fact that none of my jeans fit any longer. But the worst of this experience was a rumor that started about me...that I had an abortion.
But, a good friend advised me, “Only a guilty person needs to defend themselves. Give it time and the truth will become known.” Waiting was excruciating. I asked for prayer, "Please pray for peace in the midst of the storm." Before long I began to feel at peace. God’s comfort settled over me like a warm blanket on a chilly night. I no longer fought the illusive, intangible problem that had no reasonable solution. Are you fighting a ghost of a problem?...Twitter, Facebook, etc.? Do you long to defend your innocence? What will you do differently today to switch to the 'winning side'? Lord, the cares of this world are many; help me remember to bring them to You and trust that You have a better solution than anything I could devise. Amen “Do not be afraid or discouraged…for the battle is not yours, but God’s.” II Chronicles 20:15 What are your thoughts? Libby
“…and the calm will be the better for the storms that we endured.” Matt Boswell and Matt Papa, from Christ the Sure and Steady AnchorThe new birch tree in my front yard fell in a storm. Fortunately it was young enough that it bent but didn’t break. When my neighbors helped me secure it again they suggested I not tie it so tight as before. They said it was the winds that blow the tree and make it bend a bit in the storms that make the tree trunk stronger. In my life, it was enduring the consequences on my own that made me stronger and more resilient. It was the Storms of life that helped me appreciate making the right decisions which frequently resulted in life’s Calm. And, although some storms are unavoidable (being rear-ended on the freeway), it was equally helpful having learned Who to lean on for the strength to endure.
Note: Matt Boswell, a pastor, worship leader and band leader for a church in Frisco, TX; Matt leads a ministry called Doxology & Theology for equipping and encouraging worship leaders for gospel-centered worship. Note: Matt Papa (1983- ), American contemporary Christian music singer, songwriter, worship leader, husband and father of five, whose album Your Kingdom Come appears on Billboard Top Christian Albums and Top Heatseekers chart. Note: Ed Sheeran (1991- ), an English singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and actor who has sold more than 38 million albums and 100 million singles worldwide, making him one of the world’s best-selling music artists; two of his albums are in the list of the best-selling albums in UK chart history. “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” Plato
They couldn’t backspace and tweak the first sentence for minutes or hours. When I first started to write I could literally spend hours on the first paragraph. Hence the term ‘analysis paralysis.’ This kind of writing never leads anywhere…I learned the hard way. Like those with pen and paper or a manual typewriter, we must just begin. Start! Do something. There is plenty of time to edit later. Any published writer will tell you that editing is far more enjoyable than getting that first draft onto the page.
Lord, help me not get stuck in analysis paralysis, or thinking it has to be perfect before I move on to the second sentence; help me leave room for Your inspiration where my work really begins to be creative. Amen “…one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead; I press on…” Philippians 3:13-14 What are your thoughts? Libby
Note: Gladys Louise Smith, a.k.a. Mary Pickford (1892-1979), a Canadian actress and producer whose career spanned 50 years; she was one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and has earned the name “Queen of the Movies,” credited as having defined the ingénue archetype in cinema.
Note: Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) an English novelist, dramatist, essayist, biographer, and travel writer; best known for her novel Frankenstein. She also edited and promoted the works of her husband, Percy Shelley, the famous English poet and philosopher. Herself a philosopher and advocate for women's rights of the day; her father, William Godwin, was a political philosopher and her mother, Mary Wollstonecraft, was a philosopher and feminist. |
WelcomeI love the wisdom of the ages gleaned from relevant quotes. In them there is a connection to the human experience that crosses all borders. Join me as I relate my personal experiences, and link the wisdom of the quote to the Source of all wisdom: God's Word, the Bible. Enjoy, Libby Categories
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