Learning Along The Way

30 Days of Giving #5 Perspective

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Gloucester Cathedral doorHunting through digital photos is a sure path down Memory Lane. I am so thankful for iPhoto and its way of organizing for me by events. Of course I have to title and remember said event but it’s a start.

I am recognizing something about life from this side of half century: Perspective is Everything.

Some of you have already come to that party years ago, or maybe, just maybe, you haven’t arrived yet. So I will give you some of mine. Sharing is a skill we were supposed to learn in Kindergarten, right?

I found this picture last evening…Aralia KitchenIt makes me smile. I told my husband a while back that I am no longer in my pink phase. I bet you can guess from this photo what phase I have moved into now.

What does this have to do with sharing perspective? Bear with me…

I took this picture this morningphoto(61)

 

I’m sure you can see the similarities. The differences? A year later and two different kitchens.

I’m sure you can see the similarities. The differences? A year later and two different kitchens.  If you’ve been stopping by for awhile you know life changed radically this year for us. All good things but radical change.

Change is hard, but change is good.

Perspective is everything.

Why do I say that? Better yet How can I say that?

I am reminded every time I start to feel the “woe is me” mindset creeping into my thoughts of so many ways life could be drastically different:

death of a loved one

loss of a job

estranged family

loss of health

homelessness

mental illness

out of control debt

divorce

chronic pain

and the list can go on and on and on.

Perspective is everything.

A dear friend, and former youth pastor of our sons, has said on occasion “I want to glance at my circumstances and gaze at Christ.”

Now there is a dose of perspective.

Glance. Look at something briefly.

Gaze. Look steadily, intently, focused.

This is the perspective I give you today. Glance at your circumstances whatever they may be.

Gaze at Jesus. Through His creation (that’s everywhere). Through His Word (steadily, intently, focused)

Come back tomorrow for more in my personal challenge of 30 Days of Giving.

 

30 Days of Giving #4: A Picture to Ponder

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Gloucester Cathedral doorIt’s Monday. Some Mondays are easier than others. Today was a stay at home and gtd day. Are you familiar with gtd? I bet you are and didn’t know it. Get things done.

But I can be so focused on the gtd that I miss what’s important right under my nose or out the window or …

I ran across this photo taken from the street where I used to live.  I added a thought to it for us to ponder.  This is my gift to you today.

sunset

 

30 Days of Giving

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Gloucester Cathedral doorI have been blessed – and challenged – by many bloggers’ 31 Days of … posts through October.  They were wonderful. Beautiful. Graceful. Fun.

I have also been reading and participating in two online communities focusing on two different books.  One is A Confident Heart by Renee Swope.  The study is being led by Melissa Taylor and the Proverbs 31 OBS team.  It’s a good and hard book- focusing on my developing a confident heart trusting God’s promises.

The other book is titled A Million Little Ways by Emily Freeman. The book group is through the in Courage book club, Bloom. Emily’s book is also good and hard as she gracefully shows me the now and not yet of living this life as the poeima of God (read the book! It’s so worth it!)

In holding out what I am learning from each book I recognize that I am a giver.  Part of how God shows Himself to the world through me is through encouragement offered to others.  In a.million.little.ways.  It may be greeting the clerk by name at the store when I check out(they wear name tags for a reason). It may be an email, or text, or tweet, or blog post. It may be a handwritten note sent through the mail. Lots of ways to give encouragement.

So I am going to challenge myself to give to others through encouragement for the next 30 days.

You can receive the daily encouragements in your inbox if you sign up on the right and subscribe to my blog.

Will you open the door and come along with me?

Follow Me…

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