Did YOU Pray for the Politician?

Just before you drifted off to sleep last night . . . 

You probably did pray for your spouse, your kids, your siblings.

Maybe you mentioned some neighbor or friend in your prayer. 

Did you pray for that politician?  Some movie star?  The television reporter? 

That really bad guy they featured in the evening news?

Mention one of our nation’s armed forces — of course you care! 

Here’s an idea for all you caring people who do pray

and of course, our Heavenly Father knows. . . 

Whatever famous person comes to mind, pray for them too.

Nothing fancy, just short and to the point in your bedtime prayer.  

They need God’s blessing tomorrow,

and maybe that assignment comes to you?  

by Elaine Hardt ©2017

Attitude Adjustment

What’s your passion, what do you do well?

Do you dream that you can? 

An attitude can be improved

By a careful, thought-out plan;

You're Been Growing Older? NINE Reasons to Celebrate !

• Growing older means you’ve learned a lot, so keep on doing good. You can!
• Growing older means you’ve had time to view other people, other situations.   Did you carefully judge what was right and what was wrong? Did you learn from what you observed? That’s learning. 
• Growing older means you’ve succeeded in a variety of things you attempted. You’re better off now because of some smart choices and some hard work. Does anyone else deserve some of that credit? That’s learning.
• Growing older means you’ve made a few mistakes by now.  Analyze a few.  Now consider one. What started it? What happened?  How did you end it?  Did you apologize for your mistake?  That’s learning. 
• Growing older means you’ve committed a few sins by now.  Did you remember that the Bible says Jesus died for your sins so you could be forgiven? Did you confess your sins to God?  Did you find the relief that He gives when we own up to it? That’s learning.
• Growing older means you’ve had a lot of opportunities to learn what other people taught. Read any good books lately?  Read any news analysts lately?  Critiqued some speaker with your amassed information? Accumulated more knowledge? That’s learning.
• Growing older means you’ve had lots of experience in talking with others. You notice others who need to hear what you can say? You can gain attention by your reputation, by your approach? You can share information in an appropriate way? That’s learning. 
• Growing older means young people need to know you’re interested in them.  Old people need to know that you still care about them, too.  How do you communicate with them? 
• Growing older means you’re still alive. What about life after death?  Have you read what Jesus said about everlasting life? (see John 3:16)  www.biblegateway.com  You could read more about it in the Bible.  Growing older means get going now so you can keep on going even after you die!                        + + + 

by Elaine Hardt ©2017

Write It !

        Which is it? Write it down! Write it up! Maybe it depends on what and why you are writing. But, take a look right now; consider how helpful it is for YOU when you write something.
        Writing helps you organize your thoughts. Maybe it’s just on a piece of paper, writing with an old-timey pencil. Maybe writing with a pen. The idea pops into your head — and you are smart to write it. Later, you can review it and add to it.
        And here’s a biggie: this first writing, called the “first draft,” is only for your eyes. Spelling doesn’t count. As long as you can read it yourself then it’s OK for now. Later, you can go back and check the spelling on your computer and fix it so someone else could read it.
        When an idea comes maybe you’re at the computer, or your tablet, or your smartphone. Write it as soon as you can. Then, remember what title you gave it and where you filed it!
        Here’s some of the useful things for you to write for your own benefit.

• directions to that location
• instructions on “how to do” something
• a compliment you want to say to someone — today? later?
• a problem you noticed and what to say about it to someone
• a list of things to get at the grocery store
• an event you want to put on your calendar
• a bright idea you want to pursue later, when you have some free time
• a question that bugs you to find an answer, when you have time

And,

Got Something that Someone Wrote & Sent to YOU?

        Looking back on recent days and years of your life, has someone sent you something they wrote to YOU that was interesting or helpful or valuable in some ways?
        Maybe what they wrote was even humorous, as it reminded you of something that happened “way back then.”  Maybe it triggered some other memories they didn’t even know about, but now brings a smile to your face.
        Where are you going to keep this small treasure?  Maybe a notebook or file folder?
        And let this unexpected gift from someone set an excellent example to YOU.  This is something you can do for someone else.  And your own recollection can be a useful part of this lesson of life.  And . . .

Where Will You Put That Writing?

       Personally, I don’t “save” any writing that I do on the computer to the “cloud.”  It’s written, rewritten, revised, improved as a few more days go by.  Ordinary stuff gets saved on my own computer and its Time Machine backup. Then it gets printed out and saved on paper in a file that I can find. 
         A writing for someone looks nice on some “pretty paper,”  maybe just colored paper or maybe fancy stationery.  It gets mailed to that person so they have something to hold in their hands and read as often as they want to.  They can file it where they want to.  It’s become a “permanent” gift.
        And . . .

Ten Good Reasons for Complaining

So, how is life treating you these days? Are you consistently happy and positive in your outlook and cheerful in your conversation?

Oh? So you do whine and complain, but very infrequently, and only when totally justified?

Take a look at two guys who had ten good reasons for complaining. Their shocking experience is recounted in Acts 16:11-40. Paul and his friend Silas recently arrived in a foreign city:

1. They had done nothing wrong, nothing illegal, yet they were falsely accused,
2. Yelled at by an angry crowd, probably insulted and cursed by them,
3. Seized by the authorities,
4. Stripped of their clothes by the arresting authorities,
5. Beaten with “many stripes,”
6. Thrown into prison, most likely a dungeon,
7. Prison was dirty, dark, and smelly,
8. Lawbreakers, likely undesirable-types were chained in the dungeon,
9. Locked in the “inner prison,”
10. Feet were fastened down in stocks so they could not move around.

Any of this happened to you recently? Anything even remotely similar to this happen to you at any time in your life? Do you have ten good reasons for complaining?

Well, you’d imagine as they sat there in the fetid darkness they would rehash the terrible things that happened to them. Or, perhaps they’d sit in angry silence, each blaming the other for over-reacting?

No, that’s not the case. They prayed out loud, sang praises to God and the prisoners heard them. No silent sulking, instead a lot of noisy praying and praising. Maybe even two-part harmony as they sang their favorite songs to God, perhaps praises from the book of Psalms, well known to all Jews.

When you are going through some undeserved or undesirable conditions is there another believer with whom you can pray and sing? Or, are you alone?

Someone you aren’t even aware of may be watching and listening to you. What can you do?

Putting on a brave front and gritting your teeth is not the answer. . . . so, what is?