by Sharon O | Feb 3, 2018 | Uncategorized
Let’s take another look at the love chapter in 1st Corinthians chapter 13.
[If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.]
Have you ever met someone who professed to have ‘special gifts’ from the Holy Spirit but as you watched them in their lives you questioned their motives?
That is what this is talking about. IT Is JUST Noise… and there has been a lot of noise lately in our world from those who say ‘they love’.
[2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.]
We have at times seen someone with prophetic gifts that healed others or told others about their lives but we also in turn must look at their ‘fruit’ of their lives. Without love it is just performance.
[3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.]
Again if we do not see the actions that match the behavior it is nothing… empty.
[4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.]
Have you ever met someone with great patience and kindness? if they spoke of ‘God’s love you would listen?’ Pride cannot stand in the same room as gentle love.
[5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.]
Have you met someone who often talks down to others? It is not a good witness for sure.
[7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails.]
If someone truly cares for relationships this is true. ALWAYS 4 times… in love.
[But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.]
Eventually these manifestations of the Spirit will go away.
[9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.}
When completeness comes, we will not need anything else.
[11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child.
When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.]
This is maturity… leaving behind the childish ways.
[12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face.
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.]
This is a bit of a mystery to me, I think it means we will be fully known in heaven.
[13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.]
It all boils down to this.
If we don’t have genuine love for one another it doesn’t matter what words we say, our truth will be known.
The greatest of these is love, so let us love in word and deed so that others will hear and see our truth and pray that they will know we are Christians by our love.
by Sharon O | Feb 1, 2018 | Uncategorized
Today is February 1st, what we know as the month of relationship and love.
It’s the word we think of when we see February on the calendar.
We also know that Valentines day is one of the most marketed holidays starting just as soon as Christmas ends.
When I used to work at a florist the days were crazy right before the 14th..
I often told my husband to not get me anything just because Hallmark says he should, or the calendar reminders.
I would rather have something when I am not expecting it, not even planning it.
It is way more intentional to give a random ‘thoughtful’ card then a guilt producing ‘need to get it done’ gift.
I think the word of God in the Bible tells us a lot about love and what is expected of us.
Actually there are a few but the one I want to focus on is in 1st Corinthians of the New Testament.
The Excellence of Love ~ 1st Corinthians ~
13 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
2 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant,
5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered,
6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.
13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
The greatest of these is love.
I wish we all could fully grasp the fact that the world is watching us if we say we are believers.
Love is powerful on many levels. Read the above again, slowly.
The word ‘if’ is used 8 times, which tells me it is a mandate or condition of heart.
If I say this, then this is what you will expect of me.
The other half of that is the ‘but do not have’ statement.
This is definitely something for us to think about.
by Sharon O | Jan 31, 2018 | Uncategorized
The intentional gift of friendship is something we don’t often give ourselves.
Sometimes it happens without a plan when we meet someone new.
Sometimes it happens as we allow the phone calls and visits to encourage our new friendship.
It was a bible study I believe which brought us together. She came in and sat by me.
She was wanting a group to join and reached out with questions and commitment to the study.
It has been over thirty six years since that first day in church.
In the beginning we grew in friendship as our children would play together and we would chat over coffee.
Our sons were close in age, and they would often play cops and robbers and shoot with their imaginary guns as they ran around her basement or back yard.
Her boys always thought it was funny that my son would only shoot at the sky.
I told him never to point at someone, so he pointed upward at the ceiling.
We still laugh at that one, especially when he became a police officer.
Our friendship grew and we not only encouraged each other but prayed for each other and it was good.
There was a season in time where we moved away to different cities and time separated us.
Then the day came when we saw each other again, in the same city and eventually in the same neighborhood.
It was as if no time was lost between us.
Then the day came when her husband passed away. Our long time friend, her long time companion.
Her life changed on that day, it was very sad and life altering for her.
Many Friday nights I would drive over to her home and we would sit together and share.
Through the hard times and the good times, our friendship grew stronger.
Our friendship is a gift we unwrap every time we get together. It is intentional. It is beautiful.
After years of being alone, filled with lots of prayers and tears, the day came when LOVE found her again.
It is amazing and it is what God wanted for her, to be happy, safe and in peace.
We don’t live in the same neighborhood anymore, it is a long drive to visit the very beautiful home they have made together. The drive is intentional. Just like our friendship.
Miles cannot separate us, phone calls that take hours along with handwritten cards in the mail sent with words that say, “I’m thinking of you”, keep our friendship alive and special.
That is the gift of a real friendship. I will always love and value the times we have spent together.
It is always sealed in prayer and encouragement, in hope and in respect.
God designed us to have a heart for each other. I am blessed to have this very special friend in my life.
I am thankful each day and today is her birthday, so my wish for her is; may you have many more.
I send my love to you, Debbie on this very special day of yours. Happy birthday.
by Sharon O | Jan 25, 2018 | Uncategorized
As we come to a closure of the topic of simplify; another area we have not addressed for the new year is calendars.
I am by nature old school meaning I still like paper and pens, calendars that I can open and write in, I am not one to use my phone or computer for day to day events.
I like a small calendar in my purse, I put notes, appointments, phone numbers or shopping lists.
In fact when I got my hair done this last time the one I had was for last year and I didn’t have a space for my next appointment.
My hair dresser had to give me a lesson on how to use my phone one.
She said, “you got a hair cut and a lesson on your phone today.”
The next thing I use a calendar for is to record my testing numbers, since I have to check my blood score every other day I write it down in a new space and record food that might have created a problem for me.
This is my new one for this year. It is small enough to fit in the same basket as my test equipment.
I also have a calendar upstairs in my den so I can keep track of writing projects and or dates when one must be done and submitted. I like to see progress in a paper form and I like to be able to mark it off as finished.
Then I have a calendar in my bathroom on the wall so when I am getting ready for my day it is a reminder of the weeks agenda.
My husband often will say to me, “did you put it in your phone?” My answer will always be no.
I am not wired that way. I have had paper calendars since we have been married and I will always have one.
I even have a hard bound paper address book. Hand written with addresses of loved ones and friends.
Whatever works for you and your home is the best way.
It is more simple I suppose to put it all one space but I like a variety of resources and forms.
It doesn’t matter how old fashioned one is as long as we use the time given to us in a good and positive way.
Do you have a favorite way of keeping track of life’s details?
by Sharon O | Jan 22, 2018 | Uncategorized
A birthday to celebrate for this husband of mine.
We met when we were in high school. I was about 16 he was about 17.
Our first date was a Sadie Hawkins dance at the high school and we got married there.
It’s all a bit too funny now 44 years later.
We dated a off and on for few years before he left to join the navy.
I dated a few others off and on after he left, then after 46 days in the navy he had to come home with a seriously injured knee.
We began dating again and soon would find ourselves planning a wedding.
At ages 18 and 19 we thought we had it all figured out.
Time has a way for us to look back and be thankful of the years we grew up together.
It’s been a long challenging journey of many birthdays spent together.
Today was your 64th.
All day long I kept humming the Beatles tune, “When I’m 64”
When I get older losing my hair, many years from now. Will you still be sending me a valentine, birthday greeting, or bottle of wine.
They had this song on their Sargent Peppers album.
It is a great reminder that no matter what age we get it is a good question to ask.
Will you remember me when I’m 64?
Of course is the answer… always of course.
by Sharon O | Jan 19, 2018 | Uncategorized
There are other areas in our lives to simplify; one would be in our faith.
If I am telling someone about God or the stories of his goodness and faithfulness.
I keep it very simple so that the story doesn’t get complicated.
Almost to the point of ‘Jesus loves me this I know for the bible tells me so.’
It doesn’t have to be difficult or intense.
It just has to be real and believable, so the one who is listening can hear the power of the truth.
When our oldest granddaughter was about three years old we were at a church service outside where they were having baptisms. On that Sunday it was a dad baptizing his children which was very tender and sweet.
After the third child was baptized our grand daughter stood up on the chair, started clapping and yelling, “do it again God’s in the water.”
She was ready for an all out revival meeting. It was simple and very real.
It was from her heart and she believed God was there. There was no doubt for her.
Everyone who experienced her energy, saw and heard her excitement.
Isaiah 59:21
[And as for me, this is my covenant with them, says the Lord: my spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth, or out of the mouths of your children, or out of the mouths of your children’s children, says the Lord, from now on and forever.]
That is what I’m talking about.
I don’t bring out 12 steps on how to find your faith, I speak truth from my experiences so that others can hear the truth of what I have known. There is power in a story that is real.
Not too different from those who saw and heard Jesus heal others.
They believed just by seeing, not by rules or ‘how to guides’ on how to believe.
Jeremiah 32:39
[I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for all time, for their own good and the good of their children after them.]
It’s powerful. It moves a hard heart into a softened receptive place within the spirit of the one listening.
Joel 1:3
[Tell your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.]
Matthew 18:2-3
Jesus shared the condition of the hearts of the leaders who were questioning him.
[2 He called a child, whom he put among them, 3 and said, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”]
He was making a point to them. Children do not question with intense rules. They believe from their heart and from their experience of knowing.
Talk to any little one and they will tell you what they know about Jesus.
It’s very precious to hear their little voices and it’s always very simple.
Psalm 19:7
[The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the Lord are sure, making wise the simple.]
Psalm 116:6
[The Lord protects the simple; when I was brought low, he saved me.]
Psalm 119:130
[The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.]
Are you getting it yet? Faith is not complicated.
It can be as easy as “Jesus loves me this I know for the bible tells me so.”
Let’s simplify the story so others will believe and know for themselves what is true.
by Sharon O | Jan 17, 2018 | Uncategorized
As we move through this process of simplify, it is important to maintain your goal and decision making.
For instance if my goal is to be healthier in three months, lose a bit of weight and get a better lab test, then I would need to decide what has to take place to accomplish this.
The discipline of doing what needs to be done, writing it down and keeping the task ahead becomes less overwhelming.
Lately I have been going to the store with a list, and I follow it as I shop.
Keeping that task easier removes the wandering around trying to figure out a meal list in the store.
How and what needs to be done in order to accomplish that is just as important as the final outcome.
If I want to have a better organized office space; then I have to focus on how would I do that and what would work more efficiently.
The hardest part for me sometimes is the decision making process and maybe the motivation.
It cannot be another day for me to say, “Oh I have loved this sweater I have had it for 25 years.”
Really? yes I am pretty sure there are those in my closet.
Emotions can’t be a part of this process because it only will bring me to a complete stopping point.
In the past I have said, “If I like a pair of pants I will buy three of the same in different colors.”
Is that even necessary? How many do I need?
Oh and don’t get me started on the paper issues. Bills come in the mail and then get stacked in a disordered pile.
Many people love online bills, I do not. I lose track of them, I want to see them in person, read the print and follow the tracking.
I have them come by mail in paper form then shred them when I am done paying them.
There has to be a system that works. Each of us do many different ways and some may work better than others.
Finding and maintaining your goal will be much easier when trying to do this tough work.
I am going to begin with rooms. Each room will have a unique need, the den is different than a bedroom.
So each will need to be organized in such a way that it is clean and uncluttered at the end of the process.
Are we all ready for this monumental task? If you have already done this, that is awesome.
It is a plan of mine to get this disorganized space finished in less than six months.
That allows a lot of time for purging, destroying and organizing.
by Sharon O | Jan 13, 2018 | Uncategorized
The first thing we need to do in this simplify process is make solid decisions final.
In order for the simplify process to begin; one needs to carve out time to do the purging.
Pick one day of the week then start in one corner and move around within the room you are in.
That is what works best for me.
If I try to tackle too much it makes me more disorganized and frustrated.
Begin with one box at a time. Set up a shredding bag, give away bag, recycle bag, save bag.
Each bag has a purpose and don’t spend too much time with any of them.
The point of the process is simplify.
You can even do this in your every day routines.
The other day I looked at my bathroom counter said to myself, “how many lotions, face wash creams, make up brushes do I need? How many do I use? How long have I had them?”
Oh and let’s not forget those drawers full of stuff and cupboards under your sink?
A goal is to make it so easy to see and know what we have and don’t have, so we are not into the guessing game.
I have often purchased items only to realize when bringing them home I already had them.
It used to be a family joke about me shopping in my closet. Now I am thinking it is more of a budget issue.
I think for me I will try to set up a particular day of the week and make that day just for organizing.
By nature what has worked in the past for me is a three day window. If I start a project it needs to be done in three days or less.
Whatever process you or I have to figure out, then let’s make sure we do it.
The other thing that will be really helpful is to determine the final goal, and what must be done to finish it.
If I want less clutter then I have to purge out the collectible stuff.
If I want organized shelves or desk drawers then I have to think of what needs to be done to accomplish that.
How many times have I reached for a pen and couldn’t find one? or a stapler or a roll of tape?
Organized spaces would make life so much smoother and would feel very calm when finished.
So the new goal is making final solid decisions, without remorse and creating time to get it done.
Shall we encourage each other in this process?
by Sharon O | Jan 11, 2018 | Uncategorized
Now that the new word has come the next thing to do is to acknowledge it and decide how it is going to change your year.
Have you ever done a focused word for the year? It’s very life changing. Last year my word was breathe and it really showed me how much I didn’t stop and pay attention to my breath.
This years word is good for me personally.
There is a lot of cleaning and purging to do in my writing room and also within many boxes that are stored.
Then there are closets still full of clothes that don’t fit right or are out of style.
I don’t worry too much about style but comfort is a huge issue for me.
Oh and the books, lots of books that have been read once. Do I need to keep them?
Not unless they are meaningful to me on some level.
I am planning on doing something every month.
We are also remodeling bathrooms and creating better space for us now that we have decided to stay in our home for a few more years.
When I think of simplify it brings to me a vision of counters cleaned off and bookshelves emptied.
A new kind of freedom in letting go and giving away.
When I was in counseling I had lots of journals that were written throughout the years.
It might be time to purge those too and make use of our noisy shredder.
Some things can be left as a memory only for me, and no one else.
Last month I turned 63 and it makes me really want to get ‘things’ taken care of so other’s don’t have to.
Ultimately when we all pass away all that is left is just a few ‘reminders’ of who we were.
Simplify is a good challenge for me. In every aspect I long to keep it simple.
How about you? Ever thought of how you could simplify your life on a daily basis?
by Sharon O | Jan 6, 2018 | Uncategorized
For the last few years I have spent time listening to receive what the ‘new’ word would be for that year.
There have been a variety of words that have come; each giving meaning to what the year might represent.
Not always knowing how the ‘word’ would come to me, I wait and listen and see if it feels right in my ‘heart’.
The other day I took a 2018 find your word of truth test by dayspring and it gave me a word based on my answers to these questions.
1. A year from now looking back on 2018, what would you be most proud of accomplishing?
I decluttered my life. I prioritized God and His calling on my life.
2. Which of these do you most often need to be reminded about?
Slow down. Tune in. Look up. Make sure your heart is where your feet are.
3. Out of these sets of words, which ones are things you want to prioritize in 2018?
Intentionality, purpose and quietness
4. Which bible character do you want to be like in 2018?
Ruth she loved her mother-in-law with selfless devotion and chose joy through multiple hardships and disappointments
5. Which verse resonates with where you are today?
Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:16
6. What is something you wished you had done more of in 2017?
Went for it. stepped out of my comfort zone more.
7. What is God calling you to do the most in 2018?
Make time for his plans in your life
The word I received after answering these tests.
Simplify – so I looked up the meaning to see what that would mean for me.
Simplify: to make less complicated, clearer, or easier
Simple: easy to understand, deal with; not elaborate or artificial; unaffected; unassuming; modest:
I actually like this word.
I might not have chosen it for myself; but it does go along with the calm I am trying to create both in my internal spirit and the external space I Live in.
The goal to purge out extra things and to clean goes well within this concept of simplify.
Each month I could try to do one thing that would be part of this process.
I also find my personality has always been these traits, of easy to understand, real and not fake, modest.
So it might be a great fit on many levels for me.
I have found that after choosing the ‘word’ it seems to flow well in the year and I could see it’s purpose.
Do you ever choose a word for the year? How has it worked for you?
