A Challenge a Day Keeps Boredom Away !

        Well, it's September 2020.  My latest booklet is going out in the mail to family and friends.  Maybe you'd like a copy too.  We don't sell anything and would be happy to mail you one copy.  It's free. There's 14 writings -- some poetry, some stories.  My goal is to encourage you as you live day by day, facing what comes.
       Scroll way down this page to the Labels list on the right hand side; click in the Booklets list to see all the titles.  The latest one is #118, "What's Up? Where Are You Going?" 
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by Elaine Hardt

Today is YOUR Day

  Your Faith
    Your Troubles
      Your Endurance
        Your Opportunity
          Your Joy

"Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way,

consider it an opportunity

for great joy.

For you know

when your faith is tested

your endurance has a chance to grow.

So, let it grow,

for when your endurance is fully developed,

you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."

James 1:2-3  NLT

Thinking About Today

        What's the weather like?  What's on today's To Do list?  How 'ya feeling?
         Besides these questions you probably ask yourself every morning we take a look at the other events and possible challenges for the day in my latest booklet, "Thinking About Today."  It's another 12 page booklet printed on my own computer and printer, using www.bluesquirrel.com program.  This is booklet #101, and like all the rest in the list over there on this page's right side.  These booklets are free and your name is not sold or given to anybody.  Just email to let me know. 

by Elaine Hardt @2018

Looking at Success

        Our latest little booklet is ready for you,  "Looking at Success."  It's #93, and is a quick read with some ideas for you to consider.  Hopefully, it will be helpful and encouraging to you.  There's no charge.  Drop us a line via email; - edprha@gmail.com -  we do not sell or give away your address to anyone. 

Finding Things in My Head that I Want to Remember

Sometimes all sorts of things

go and hide out of my mind!

I frown a lot and complain

when I need that stuff to find. 

WHAT CAN  I DO ? ? ?

Worry? Fuss? Neglect? What YOU Can Do

        Today some bad news comes on the TV news or on social media or some Internet news site? Or, in the neighborhood or downtown?

        Are you accepting complacency?  Choosing to overlook problems?  That aggravation or that problem could be the nudge for you to try a new approach.  Don’t let yourself be buried under a negative snow slide of massive calamity.  

        Maybe there’s no easy way out, no quick fix?  So, go sit in the rocking chair?  What is a considerate person supposed to do?  Quit caring about anybody else? 

        For the careful, concerned person there is something that’s not complicated, not confusing, not time-consuming that you can do.  You don’t need to neglect what YOU can do. Shed your anxiety and save lots of time by not worrying. 

        Right there and then . . . 

What Can I Celebrate Today?

What can I celebrate today?

We just finished Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday.  Now it’s on to Advent, the Twelve Days of Christmas, then Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, Groundhog Day, etc.

There’s some websites that list well-known holidays, along with strange and funny days that someone proclaimed to be worth celebration.  

Of course, you can always celebrate YOU Day.  That’s the day you appreciate the fact you were born, you’ve learned and achieved a lot, and you deserve recognition.  You’ve survived a lot of near-calls,  probably some illness, and a few days of being ignored or teased or even ridiculed.

You are a special person, know that? 

Today’s Troubles Will Test Us

        Lots of words describe trouble:  disaster, forest fire, robbery, wreck, flood, attack, tragedy, violence.   Today’s newspapers and the latest TV and Internet reports bring us a huge list of troubles from here and around the world. 

        What’s the logical thing to do?  Perhaps turn off the TV after an hour of the bad news?  Or, look into the cause and effect of some of the troubles that pique our interest?  Maybe write to our senators, our representatives, and post to social media websites?

        Today’s troubles will test us.  That same fact has applied to each person, even way, way, way back in the olden days.  God allows calamities, disease, failures, wars to get our attention. 

Remember and Forget

Some things are SO important we are told to “Remember!”  Some things we are to forget. 

Here is a list of some of the important points. There are many other Scriptures on this subject. Look up additional verses under these key words, remember and forget.  

1. “Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.”   Exodus 20:8 NKJV
2. “Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations; ask your father…” Deuteronomy 32:7 NKJV
3. “But watch out! Be very careful never to forget what you have seen the LORD do for you. Do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.”  Deuteronomy 4:9 NLT
4. “Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders and the judgments of His mouth.”  1 Chronicles 16:12 NKJV
5. “I will delight myself in Thy statutes: I will not forget Your word. Psalm 119:16 NKJV
6. “Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth.”  Ecclesiastes 12:1 NKJV
7. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:” Psalm 103:2 NKJV 
8. “Yet I still dare to hope when I remember this: The unfailing love of the LORD never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is His faithfulness; His mercies begin afresh each day.” Lamentations 3:21-23 NLT
9. “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;”  1Thessalonians 1:3 NKJV
10. “Take a firm stand against him (the Devil), and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are.”   1 Peter 5:9 NLT
11. “Remember, it is better to suffer for doing good, if that is what God wants, than to suffer for doing wrong!”  1 Peter 3:17 NLT
12. “Then he took a loaf of bread; and when he had thanked God for it, he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” Luke 22:19 NLT
13. “In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant between God and you, sealed by the shedding of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me as often as you drink it.’” 1 Corinthians 11:25 NLT 
14. “Don’t forget to do good and to share what you have with those in need, for such sacrifices are very pleasing to God.” Hebrews 13:16 NLT
15.  “. . . remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” Acts 20:35. KJV

What does God remember?  What does He promise to forget?  

We do not have to wonder what the answers are.  

Take a Grownup Look at Prayer

Is praying just a kiddy-thing?

A child’s bedtime routine?

Or, is prayer for actual grownups

Who say to God what they mean?

Is praying out loud for showing off?

How can it be from the heart?

What do we find in the Bible,

That we’ll make a brand-new start? 

People prayed with serious words

Back in those olden days;

They confessed sins and weakness,

Then they gave the LORD their praise. 

Sometimes today we hear mumbled words

Or frivolous phrases in prayer;

We must consider for ourselves

Do we believe that God is There?

A Creator, awesome in power!

And He cares so much for us!

We so bravely acknowledge Him

that we choose to obey and trust.

By Elaine Hardt ©2014 

Aggravations Come to Help Us Grow

Aggravations come to help us grow.

“What do you mean?” you ask. “I want to know!”

Every disappointment can make us sad,

Or even confuse us, or make us mad.

But “It’s just another challenge today.”

This is what you and I can say. 

Your planning and doing ability

improve when you firmly decide to see.

A calm approach might help to show you how:

more thinking and concentrating can allow. 

Review the past, and be sure to look ahead,

Any bad attitude? Now it’s time to shed. 

People are watching to see how you do;

Determination and hard work bring you through. 

Life gives us troubles; will we succeed? 

This shows us that it’s faith in God we need.

Your life reflects what truths you choose to believe,

Will you acknowledge the Bible’s words you receive? 

To aggravations you might as well say, “Hello,

I’ll deal with you and it will help me grow!” 

Start now and acknowledge with honesty,

Own up your shortcomings that you see.

Your Maker has you here for a reason,

Open your heart to Him this new season.

                           + + + 

By Elaine Hardt ©2014

Does God Automatically Help Us?

Will God automatically spare us from trouble?

Does God automatically lead us to truth?

Does God automatically give us what we need?

Does God automatically give us what we want?

Life goes on. Some days we feel energetic and capable; things go very well.  Other times we may feel like there is a backpack of bricks that we’re forced to carry. 

What’s the difference?  As Christians won’t God just automatically give us what we need?  Can’t we count on Him?

We can count on circumstances changing.  Some people welcome challenge; others take it as a personal affront.  Some expect risk, others want comfort. Many expect good things, automatically.

Is this normal?

For a long time we believed that Christians are supposed to “tough it out” and “put on a smiling face.” We expected to have some troubles, since they were good for teaching us patience.  

Does this unwittingly play into the hands of our spiritual enemy?

By taking a passive stance do we actually invite more problems?

Remember, then . . .

What It Means to Pray

•  a blessing for you

•  a blessing for the one you pray for

•  a stirring of compassion

•  a conversation with your Heaveny Father

•  an opportunity to bring help

Three Words That Cheer You Up

        So, how’s your day going?  Did it start out well?  Things going the way you’d planned?  Improvements coming the way you’d hoped?

        Yes or no?  Read on, anyway.  (There’s a point to all of this.) 

        Here’s three cheery words to try. . . “I’m making progress!”

        Now, give that notion a smile.  Yes, when you are concerned about how you’re handling the challenges and frustrations, not to mention the small success and the little-bitty glimmers of hope, then it is time for you to boldly declare to yourself:  “I’m making progress.”

        Awareness of what’s going on is essential.  Then you size up the hurdles you’ll have to jump.  It might be tricky, difficult, or nearly impossible, but you do want to do better.  You want to succeed at even the little stuff, plus the big life-changing goals you desire.

        So,  what are you waiting for?  Say those three cheery words.  “I’m making progress.”  

Learning How to Disagree

There is something good about disagreements

When you share your point of view;

It can help broaden our communication,

And I can learn something from you. 

It gives us both something to think more about

As I learn the better to explain;

I’m looking for sources of information:

Which is confusing? What is plain?

There is time to control my emotions then

Because the facts must come to light,

So I’m experiencing an inner struggle

To discover what’s really right.

Here’s where I must logically choose my words

Because I want to know what’s true;

And God gives me this time to grow and stretch my faith

with peace of mind; that’s practical, too.

Learning is always somehow helpful to me

When I remember to pray,

“Father, give me the proper attitude and words,

May what I do please You today.”

By Elaine Hardt ©2013

Consider Benefits: Greater Things in Your Life

Greater things are a possibility for me!

Greater learning improving personal ability;

Greater satisfaction is something I can achieve,

Greater usefulness is possible, because I now believe.

Greater significant victories!

Greater inner strength and freedom to see;

Greater insight into important things,

Greater happiness that inner freedom brings.

Greater stamina so I don’t so easily tire!

Greater connections with people up higher;

Greater ideas are welcome in my mind,

Greater inspiration I am able to find.