“It is not often that anyone can have so much knowledge of another as is necessary to make instruction useful.” Samuel Johnson
As I get older, I get questions on how life works. I’ve given up trying to give people specific advice since I know today’s world bears little resemblance to my world at their age. It’s so much easier (and less responsibility) to just share my experience, my consequences when I made bad choices, my lessons learned. Anything beyond that is insulting at best, and borderline meddling at worst. Recently I was asked how I got promoted at work. I had no idea about the policies and culture at her job, so anything based on my career path would likely sound like a party-line by comparison. So I merely said, “I did the very best job in my current position.”
What are your thoughts? Libby
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“One of the things that frustrates me about modeling is that you’re judged solely on how you look. When you get older, you’re judged more on the person you are, and that’s a great reward…I view aging as a blessing.” Kathy IrelandMy husband and I were laughing at ourselves. We’d get out of bed and for the first few minutes we’d walk slowly until we adjusted our stiff and sore joints. For me it was my lower back and a recent injury to my left hip and knee that’s taking a while to mend. Saturday I was relaying this conversation to a friend and we laughed at the fact that younger people are so concerned with gray hair and wrinkles. In our diatribe we discussed the freedom from hair color and face-lifts was a gift of those who have aged to the point where health has supplanted appearance as a more important measure of aging. We had to laugh at ourselves, too, because we each genuinely had to admit we’d wasted some of our youth and part of our health to learn this lesson.
Finally, we agreed with the all-too-familiar maxim: “Growing old is not for sissies.” Are you more concerned about your outside appearance? Have you invested in visual improvements while procrastinating on priorities that help retain physical and mental vigor? What will you do today to promote quality of life versus merely appearance of youth? Lord, thank You for allowing me to laugh at myself, but more importantly to recognize the importance of health—while I still have my health—on retaining a vital, fun, and useful life as I age. Amen “So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day.” II Corinthians 4:16 “The glory of the young is their strength, but the splendor of the old is their gray hair.” Proverbs 20:29 What are your thoughts? Libby
Note: Marguerite, Comtesse of Blessington (1789-1849), an Irish novelist, journalist and literary hostess, known for writing a book about her conversations with Lord Byron; in addition to writing other novels and articles her home was distinguished as a meeting place for notable literary, education, art, science and fashion personalities of the day; it was at her home that Hans Christian Andersen first met Charles Dickens.
“I don’t need therapy; I just need to go camping.” UnknownI planned a camping trip for my husband’s birthday so he could go fishing, one of his favorite things to do for R&R. This first morning camping in our new trailer, Wayne was out fishing before six am. I slept until seven. I dressed to walk the dog and returned with visions of doing a quiet time with my coffee in the great outdoors.
I started a fire. I used to love to watch logs burn. It took the chill off the early morning hours in the hills. Then I took Abbey on a long walk, her favorite thing to do, especially with all the new smells. Fortunately I had two doggie bags in my pocket. One I used to pick up bottle tops and other small litter, the sight of which disappoints me. But now—not in a rush to be somewhere—I could do something about it.
Wayne is now reading (or napping) in his new hammock and I’m comfortably settled with my laptop...both of us doing something enjoyable on our ‘therapy’ camping trip.
“A joyful heart makes a cheerful face…A cheerful heart is good medicine...” Proverbs 15:13, 17:22 What are your thoughts? Libby “When I stopped seeing God solely as Soother, Easer of burdens, Eraser of discomfort, I started to trust Him more…God walks with us: not running ahead, clearing away the thorny branches…He walks with us, present, sometimes in silence, always in love.” Nichole Nordeman“We prayed the rain would stop, but we don’t have the same ‘in’ with God that you do,” said a fellow camper, pre-Christian member of the group’s annual camping weekend.
Friday evening it rained a while, but Saturday was a severe thunder storm that began early and went on for hours. The concert, bonfire, and s’mores were all cancelled as people huddled under the dozen or more easy-ups and tried to stay dry while watching their tents sag under the weight of the water pouring down. I gave him a limp smile and kept walking, but I couldn’t help think about how I would have answered if we were sitting around a bonfire with time to discuss the question. Why would God let our annual camp out in June—which is usually hot and dry—be practically rained out. Then I came across Nichole Nordeman’s quote this morning. It reminded me of the simple saying I learned when younger: ‘God does not promise us a rose garden, nor does He remove all the thorns when we do get roses, but God does promise He’ll be there through the hard times.’
Are there times when you can only see the bumps in the road? Do you find you question ‘Why?’ God is doing these things in your life? What can you do today to shift your expectations from ‘Why?’ to, ‘What can I do to make it easier for others?’ Lord, in spite of the rain, people still enjoyed the time we spent visiting since we last saw each other. Thank you that You still reign, that You are still in control. Thank you for keeping our friendships strong and growing. Amen “Blessed be the God and Father…of comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” II Corinthians 1:3-4 What are your thoughts? Libby
“How I struggle to get what I want…what I really want is to be at peace with myself. No person, possession or acclaim can do that for me.” Anonymous
I didn’t sleep well. I had stomach problems. We continually argued. And I ignored the lack of support for the decision to marry him from family and friends. Instead I prayed continually for the relationship to work while problems continue to mount up. I figured good relationships took work, so I prayed that all the heartache would pay…eventually. Bottom line, I was 39 and I wanted to be married. Finally, after telling him the wedding was off, I slept like a baby for eight hours straight. That’s something I hadn’t done for nearly six months, while playing what I called “tug-of-war with God” instead of sleeping. After months of healing I was able to say, “Thank God for unanswered prayers.” Have you prayed long and hard for something? Are you grieving for long-lost dreams that you prayed for but haven’t worked out? What can you do today to see with God’s perspective and turn regret into gratitude? Thank You for not giving up on me as I marched head-strong into what I wanted and ignored Your will for my life for so many months. Amen “Better is the end of a thing than it’s beginning, and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit.” Ecclesiastes 7:8 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.” Jeremiah 29:11 What are your thoughts? Libby
“…sorrow, it arises from craving…stopping of sorrow, it is the complete stopping of that craving…being emancipated from it.” Indian ProverbAfter two hours I looked down to discover I had only made five minutes progress on the project I set out to accomplish while watching an old movie. My sisters often laugh at me, “Just like Dad reading the paper, you don’t even hear us when we speak to you. You’re like a zombie in front of the TV.”
This Indian Proverb proves the idea of complete abstinence from a craving is not new. Alcoholics Anonymous proved the only effective answer for an alcoholic was to completely give up their craving; they call it sobriety. They don't aspire to be normal drinkers, or even tea-teetotalers, because they know it won't work for them. Even one drink could mean death.
Truly, the only time I’m free from the disappointment of wasting time is when I don’t sit in front of a TV at all! This on/off, black/white, yes/no, do/don’t division of movie watching is the only way I’ve been successful at breaking the power movies have over me. When I try to limit my movie viewing, moderate the frequency, or control the time spent; it’s like playing with fire…I always lose. Do you have something that has this kind of power over you? Are you trying to regulate it, so you can learn to control it like other people? What can you do today that will lift the burden and set you free from the sorrow?
What can a kid do to make God smile? “Say ‘Please’ and ‘Thank you’…a lot.” C.J. 7 year old
It never ceases to amaze me how a genuine apology can neutralize my frustration. In just minutes my face was cool again, my shoulders had lowered a full inch, and my ears weren’t pulsing. I was now able to hear his assurances that my problem was not beyond hope. Has your frustration recently gone from 0 to 100 in less than 60 seconds? Is there a person who was the brunt of your venting that is now due an apology? What can you do today to relieve your heart, and theirs?
Note: C.J. is one of many anonymous children quoted in the book Soul Food: Wisdom and Inspiration to Feed Your Spirit, compiled by Hallmark, 2007.
“The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it.” Henry David Thoreau
As it turned out, however, that was the beginning of my journey to faith. Now I can understand, and even relate in my relationship with my husband. Today I strive to make my faith my first priority. Yet, there will always be those who think that putting faith first can lead to becoming a church-aholic. Dana, a friend and missionary in Indonesia, always included in his newsletter prayer list: “Pray that I will please God.” He was a full-time missionary. Wasn’t that enough to qualify him as having put faith first? Since those days I’ve learned that just having faith isn’t necessarily putting God first, it’s the daily behaviors, decisions, choices, and how we handle temptations that reveal where our faith falls in our list of priorities. When I genuinely make God my top priority, it will be reflected in everything…what’s on my schedule, my attention to my health and fitness, time management decisions, work/life balance, financial choices, my tone of voice, my attitude, the willingness to apologize, to do the right thing regardless what others think of me, whose strength I rely on when tempted, and so on. Applying this lesson is not easy. I’ve been working at it for years and still I have friends lovingly point out (on a somewhat regular basis) areas where I need to improve. I’ve also recently heard a description of how God is right there at every point ready to help me with any of the daily challenges. Even when I’m not putting God first, God is still there waiting for me to ask for help, whether it’s help not to procrastinate, or to avoid a food I’m allergic to, or to say ‘No’ when needed, or… Do you profess God is the most important thing in your life? Are you careful to include God in all your daily challenges? If not, what one thing will you do today to practice making God your first priority?
“We are products of our past, but we don’t have to be prisoners of it.” Rick Warren
When this major crisis hit (I cancelled my wedding 9 days beforehand), it was like garbage in-garbage out. Every painful memory from the past came back to haunt me. Every hour, even every few minutes, my mind detoured to the past. I was virtually paralyzed, unable to do much else. My pattern of stuffing my emotions with food or watching movies ceased to work. I was in crisis, crippled by my garbage emotions: anxiety, bitterness, anger, unforgiveness, resentment and fear. My only option was to face them and replace them, but I didn’t know how.
Lord, thank You for the resources from the books: Lord, Heal My Hurts, by Kay Author, and Twelve Steps And Twelve Traditions, by Alcoholics Anonymous, that gave me the tools to examine past hurts and replace them with serenity and contentment. Amen “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” Isaiah 43:18-19 What are your thoughts?
Libby Note: Rick Warren (1954- ), an American evangelical Christian pastor and author, he’s the founder and senior pastor of Saddleback Church, co-founder of Celebrate Recovery, and the bestselling author of many books including The Purpose Driven Life which has sold more than 30 million copies. “There is a courtesy of the heart. It is akin to love. Out of it arises the purest courtesy in outward behavior.” Johann Wolfgang Goethe
They continued to go on about how my horn had made them jump and their hearts were racing. “Mine too,” I said, but that made no difference to them. They were angry and I was the cause, no matter how justified I was at honking my horn.
Today we think of children as just ‘short people’ rather than second-class citizens. We have laws that protect children’s rights, advocates for their needs, and encourage mutual respect and kindness in schools. We’ve come a long way! Or have we? Someone once said, “Courtesy is taught at home by parents who act courteously toward their children.” But, since a generation that might have missed out on common courtesy in their homes are now having children of their own, today's kids may not always get the benefit of having common courtesy role-modeled. So, those not in the habit of practicing common courtesy at home, who will teach them to be courteous to a stranger? Have you experienced a lack of common courtesy recently? Do you get frustrated with how uncommon common courtesy is becoming? What can you do today to role-model courtesy to others? Lord, help me continue to be courteous to other even when they are not always courteous to me. Amen “Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you…” Colossians 3:13 What are your thoughts? Libby
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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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