“For in him (Jesus) all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisable, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;

“all things have been created through him and for him.

HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS AND IN HIM ALL THINGS HOLD TOGETHER.”

(emphasis and delight–mine)

Colossians 1:16-17 NIV

All I can say is He’s got this!!

You name it. He’s aware and working.

lonnie

“Would you say you are content with where you are and what you have? Most people would say, “No! You don’t know what I’m going through!”

Shanna Noel reminds readers that Paul was shackled in chains–in prison. (see Philippians 4:12)

I remember his prison stories.

He not only didn’t grumble; he sang!

“But,” continues Shanna Noel, “he wasn’t able to be content by his own will–it was a state of mind he learned by drawing on God’s power and strength.” (100 Days of Bible Promises–Day 21/ Dayspring 2018)

I can’t do this!

I’ve tried!

But I see people having this and doing that, and . . .

Paul wasn’t naturally content, either. He learned from and leaned on God. One of the shortest and most powerful prayers we can pray is, “HELP!”

Paul also wrote these words. Had we lived in the same century, he would have addressed the letter to me:

“How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you trying to become perfect by your own human effort? (Galatians 3:3 New Living Translation)

God has shown me that I AM learning. I look back a few years and realize that I AM a different person than I was then–not by my struggling and determination, but by the gentle (yet persistent) work of the Holy Spirit.

Colour Me Grateful,

Lonnie

“Today, it seems, persuasion is out the window.

” . . . with both Republicans and Democrats competing to see who can energize their base by throwing red meat into the crowd and insulting the other side. Whichever side is more worked up and angry on Election Day wins–or so the conventional wisdom has it.”

Brooks goes on to explain what an unstable model that is for democracy. And I want to say, “No Duh!”

He suggests that instead of the pendelum swinging in it’s natural steady rhythm, the political pendulum careens violently back and forth–each side trying to out-outrage the other.

Then, here’s where we ALL lose; because of the contempt each side has for the other, NOTHING GETS DONE. Forgive my repetition but, “No Duh!”

“The losing side seeks to stop any progress until they can win back power . . . Then the other side does the same. And on it goes.”

Arthur C. Brooks

Love Your Enemies/Broadside Books 2019

We can’t change Washington, but we CAN change the way we interact with people whom we disagree with.

Brooks tells us that there is a vast difference between saying a candidate’s policies will decimate our military and make terrorists attacks a greater risk, and saying a candidate plans to cut military spending because he wants ISIS to win.

I DO believe there are sinister things that go on . . . that it isn’t all about correctly framing words. But Hey! That’s a great place to start. We can’t change anyone but ourselves and we will never change another’s views via insults.

Just Saying,

Lonnie

Tell a teenager that they can’t date a certain person and they become more settled in their mind, than ever, that that’s what they’re going to do. If I’m understanding Brooks, that’s the kind of mindset we foster with insults and contempt.

Dr. Carlson describes prayer like a uranium mine, whose riches he could enjoy if he would “but work the mine.”

He, like many of us, finds himself using prayer as a last step rather than the first one as it could and should be.

Or . . . so like me, he sees that many of us make ourselves busy to help someone in need, without engaging in the most profitable thing possible—prayer”

“The biggest problem for me is not prayer, but the pray-er—-and how to keep him praying.”

I’m considering buying a Caribou mug with this saying:

LIFE IS SHORT—-STAY AWAKE FOR IT

I’d like it to serve as a reminder of Ephesians 6:18: ” . . . with this is mind, be alert and always keep on praying.” (NIV)

Lonnie

Dr. Edgar M. Carlson, President Gustavus Adolphus College

We Believe In Prayer/ Denison 1958

“After watching a couple interact for just one hour, he (John Gottman, psychologist and professor) can predict with 94% accuracy whether the couple will divorce within three years.”

Arthur C. Brooks;

Love Your Enemies p.23; Broadside Books 2019

Gottman doesn’t predict divorce, as we might expect, by the anger couples express, but rather by indicators of contempt:

“These include sarcasm, sneering, hostile humor, and — worst of all — eye-rolling. These little acts effectively say, ‘You are worthless.'”

Brooks compares this contempt in marriages with our current political climate. He suggests that we view the 2016 presidential debates on youtube, where we will witness masterpieces of eye-rolling, sarcasm, and sneering derision.

I don’t have to look.

I remember it well.

And, to be honest, I’m sure I rolled my eyes more than a few times.

The premise of this book is to teach us that anger can be constructive, but that contempt is anything BUT.

“You can resolve problems with someone with whom you disagree,” Brooks writes, ” even if you disagree angrily, but you can’t come to a solution with someone who holds you in contempt or for whom you have contempt.”

(p. 24)

For the sake of our country, let change begin with me,

Lonnie

And . . . I want to be aware of eye-rollings in my marriage and other relationships. I’d like to think I don’t do that . . . but . . .

How about you?

Up for the challenge?

It was 4 a.m.

I had a tupperware serving bowl in one hand and a small glass dessert bowl in the other, when both took flight.

The glass bowl soft-landed on the counter. The open tupperware bowl, full of Fruit Loops, crashlanded on the kitchen floor, depositing colorful circles on counters as it passed.

I’d spilt stuff the day before, too —– tears and temper. It had been a hellish week, and it had finally boiled over.

SO ——- you’d think that a few unChristian words would have taken flight too. But I didn’t swear and I didn’t get mad.

I took pictures and sent them to a friend.

As I swept pink, blue, yellow, and green circles, the shape of a fish began to emerge. My friend is a fisher. I thought I should share my latest catch —-and prayer answer. In the middle of my hell, I asked two friends, her being one, to pray.

God is working.

I didn’t host a pity party, with a guest list of one.

I took pictures and captured the memory.

Never under-estimate the value of prayer and a good friend,

Lonnie

Test

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton