Week Forty-Eight, 2023

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Surely, we live in a time of world tension. There are wars and rumors of war. There is ethnic hatred, greater than the holocaust. No one seems to get along with anyone. Examples of public international conflicts are in the news daily. How we respond to these difficult situations, however, has a large impact on our stress levels, wellbeing, and mental health. Without addressing the underlying causes of why modern life causes us stress, it’s hard to make more sustainable changes that lead you away from burning out.

My wife the wonderful kindergarten teacher has a simple answer. If everyone spent thirty minutes each day coloring, the world would fall in place. Peace would return and the world would relax. crayons symbolize having a carefree attitude, free from responsibility or obligations.

Colors symbolize in Christianity. There is the bright red, representing the spiritual awakening of Moses as he is visited by God. There is also the blue to symbolize the hope and faith Moses had in God. Finally, there is brown, which symbolizes the earth and God’s connection to man.

But there is yet another perspective to coloring that we learn from the Bible: Broken crayons can still color. Though we sin and sink, Jesus raises us up when we accept him. Our sins are forgiven, but sometimes we still have to carry the burdens of our past. We are broken, but God can still use us.

Unity and forgiveness is another thing we learn from coloring. We can learn a lot from a box of crayons. Some are sharp. Some are dull. Some are bright and dome are dark, but they all have to learn to live together in the same box.

So is our life on this planet earth. We are different colors, shapes and sizes. We come sparkling new and old and worn, but we all have to live together in the same box.

The moral of the story is this: Go out and buy a fresh and new box of crayons and color thirty minutes a day and see how it changes your life and perspective.

SOMETIMES TRUE STORIES

Chippie the parakeet never saw it coming. One second, he was peacefully perched in his cage. The next he was sucked in, washed up, and blown over.

The problems began when Chippie’s owner decided to clean Chippie’s cage with a vacuum cleaner. She removed the attachment from the end of the hose and stuck it in the cage. The phone rang, and she turned to pick it up. She’d barely said “hello” when “ssssopp!” Chippie got sucked in.”

The bird owner gasped, put down the phone, turned off the vacuum, and opened the bag. There was Chippie — still alive, but stunned.”

Since the bird was covered with dust and soot, she grabbed him and raced to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, and held Chippie under the running water. Then, realizing that Chippie was soaked and shivering, she did what any compassionate bird owner would do . . . she reached for the hair dryer and blasted the pet with hot air.

Poor Chippie never knew what hit him.

A few days after the trauma, the reporter who’d initially written about the event contacted Chippie’s owner to see how the bird was recovering. “Well,” she replied, “Chippie doesn’t sing much anymore — he just sits and stares.

The story from Max Lucado’s book, “In The Eye of the Storm,” while it contains an element of humor, also offers a stark reminder of how quickly our lives can change.

One minute you’re seated in familiar territory with a song on your lips, then…the pink slip comes. The rejection letter arrives. The doctor calls. The divorce papers are delivered. The check bounces. A policeman knocks at your door.

For us to grow through trials, the trials must come. Here’s how trials can help us grow. Accept that trials are a part of life. Growth through trials depends on our attitude.

How we see trials and our outlook toward them will determine our growth or lack thereof. James offers this insight and admonition.

Look for Lessons to Learn through Trials. Trials will only make us stronger when we decide to see them as opportunities for growth, instead of excuses to quit. Life’s troubles and trials are inescapable. Learning from them, however, is optional. Trials may deepen our dependence on God, bring us closer to our physical family, or heighten our fellowship with our spiritual family.

They may also humble us, sharpen our character, and smooth out the rough edges of our personality.

Trials may help us grow in giftedness, improve our skills and develop new talents. Problems can produce a creativity that we didn’t know we possessed. As Neale Donald Wash said, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

Your perseverance through trial may even be the source to help others grow and serve as an encouragement for them to remain faithful. Ken Weleiver

Credit card balances surpassed $1 trillion for the first time last quarter in data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, showing how even more widespread credit has become among American consumers as the U.S. economy recovered from the pandemic.\

QUOTES YOU CAN USE

It’s during the interruptions of life that we see how our Savior teaches us the best lessons and tests whether we are willing to follow His leading. Gloria Gaither.

It all comes to this: The simplest way to be happy is to do good. Helen Keller

Only Americans can hurt America. Dwight D. Eisenhower

Words of wisdom from Pastor Andrew Evans:

• You must be the same on the inside as you are on the outside.

• Sin is first a condition of the heart.

• Anger is a sin of the heart and anger brings forth judgment.

•We must deal with sin quickly and seek reconciliation.

Sometimes we all have to be reminded of God’s great love for us through Jesus, His Son. Marty Stubblefield

When you’re good at something, you’ll tell everyone. When you’re great at something, they’ll tell you. Walter Payton

Be more concerned with what you can do for others than what others can do for you. You’ll be surprised at the results. John Wooden

We are saved by faith, not by growing fruit; but we are not saved by fruitless faith.

The biggest gift you’ve got is your breath and your heartbeat. Browns receiver John Metchie III

I have no methods; all I do is accept people as they are. Joan Rivers

Cherish each hour of this day for it can never return. OG Mandino

Christianity offers a different hope that rises above secular, material, and temporal aspirations. Ken Weliever

I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; and because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do something I can do. Helen Keller

***

Selected portions of Thoughts on Life can also be read at TheLife.com.

Your feedback is welcome and if you want to be taken off the mailing list a simple e-mail will do it. Feel free to pass this along to others and to contribute your ideas and thoughts. Address all items and comments to [email protected]. © Thoughts on Life Copyright 2023