Stuart from Something to Stu Over has graciously nominated me for The Random Acts of Kindness Award. (RAKA)  Since I didn’t know such an award existed, I was happy to know that others are recognizing the kindness in the world.

Here are the rules:

Tell who you nominate and why.

Copy and share the picture that shows the award, posted above.

Share a paragraph of something that impacted your own life in the way of receiving kindness or how you extended kindness to someone else.

Nominate anyone or share to your own page.  You may choose to participate or not.  Tag or ping back the original person who nominated you, or the original post.

There have been many random acts of kindness in my life, so it is hard to choose only one, but here goes:

I had a stroke on January 23, 2015.  It was a Friday and I was in my classroom, giving exams.  I was diagnosed by the school nurse and sent off to the hospital very quickly by ambulance.  I got a clot busting shot that saved my life, was in ICU and then sent home after four days in the hospital.  When I got home, I was sad because my whole life was changed.  My activities were limited, I had difficulty reading and comprehending my books that I had always enjoyed, and my diet was totally changed.  My husband was doing the best he could with a 1200 mg sodium diet, but most of my food was tasteless, totally bland.  On Wednesday morning, I got up early as usual and looked out the front window to find my daughter’s car in the driveway.  I then went into the bedroom and asked my husband if he knew Hope was here.  He said that she had mentioned coming down but didn’t want me to stress over her driving almost ten hours alone, so she didn’t tell me that she was coming.  Hope left her four children at home (whom she homeschools), her husband and all of her other duties to drive down to help me.  She stayed for over two weeks and helped me to come out of my depression.  She encouraged me to walk, to move around if only a little at a time.  She set a schedule for me so that I ate regularly.  She went to my neurologist appointment with me and asked the questions on my mind that I couldn’t quite verbalize yet.  I think the biggest thing she did for me was take me to the grocery store and show me how to shop according to my new diet restrictions.  She made meals that were tasty and showed my husband how to make them.  I had spaghetti squash casserole for the first time and loved it because she made it spicy with things other than salt.  She looked up recipes for me to have and left them with my husband.  Her gentleness and her demands that I continue to live the best I could helped me to want to continue to live. I will always remember that she just left everything in the middle of winter, drove on icy and snowy roads to come and help me.  When it was time for her to leave, she had to look at the weather in Pennsylvania in order to travel between snow storms.  Here is a picture of my darling daughter who helped me to want to keep on keeping on.  WHAT A BLESSING!  

Now my nominees are anyone who would like to share a Random Act of Kindness.  I hope that many of you will do so because we all need to encourage each other with positivity.  There is goodness in this world!  Let’s all share how someone else’s kindness has affected us!  Please comment on my post when you share so that I can read and be encouraged, also.  😊

Everyone makes choices daily.  That’s a given.  But what we need to understand is that our choices influence the choices of many around us.  When I chose to accept the Lord into my heart at the age of twenty-one, the first person that I know I influenced was my fiancé.  He wanted me to forget all of this “Jesus stuff” because it seemed to make him uncomfortable.  I told him that Jesus died for me, so I couldn’t just forget him.  Then, I invited him to go to church with me.  He went and became a Christian.  So, four months later when we got married, we were “equally yoked” and ready to start our family.  I hope that throughout the years I have been a positive influence on my children, grandchildren and all of the many students that I have taught .  I know that I have been told by more than one student that I taught with love.  I did love my students and I wanted them to always do their best, and to make right choices.  I did whatever I could to influence them in that direction.  The road that I took long ago to follow Jesus has influenced my choices and my choices have influenced others.  

Just as it says in Ecclesiastes that I cannot understand all that God does, as I traveled down my chosen path, many things happened that I was not particularly happy with.  A beloved granddaughter died before she could enjoy life.  My husband and I had so many disagreements that we thought about splitting up.  My home is not exactly the place I want to live.  But, you know what?  Things happen for a reason, a reason that God knows whether I know or not.  As the Psalm says, “The Lord reigns!”  God is on His throne and He makes the final decisions, about life and death, sickness and health.  Yes, we have choices that can influence our health and when we die, but  God makes that final decision.  He is a fair judge for all, and I trust Him to bring me through.  No matter how rough the path has been in my life, God has been my steadfast helper, always there when I was a lonely military wife, always there when I was teaching and trying to get an advanced degree and be a good mother all at the same time, always there when I was ready to give up on my marriage, always there. Going to God before I make daily choices has made my decisions better, I think, for me and for others.  That is what you need to know to do.  You are going to be making decisions today…make sure that the Lord who is ruler over all, who sees all and who loves you enough to die for you, is part of that decision.  Pray and ask Him to help you make wise choices.  Don’t just make a decision and then ask Him to bless it…He wants to be part of the process from the beginning.  God knows that what you decide may make a difference in the lives of a multitude of others today.  Think about it….

I am convinced that if you have hope you will enjoy life more.  Your are always expecting the next great thing that is coming “just around the corner.”  When I was pregnant for the first time, my husband and I totally expected to have a little boy since boys were all that were in his family, and the male determines the gender.  It was the 1970’s and there was no such thing as finding out the gender of your baby beforehand.  So, regardless, we picked out a baby name for a girl because that was our desire:  We would name her Hope (because we hoped she would be a girl) and Ellen, for my husband’s mother.  Well, guess what?  We had our girl first, named her Hope and had two boys afterwards.  She has brought nothing but joy to our lives, as have our sons, but Hope was the unexpected gift that keeps on giving.

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If we had had a little boy first, we would have rejoiced regardless, because he was healthy.  But we hoped for a little girl and God fulfilled our desires.  Now, to focus on the Scripture.  Life is too short to always be focused on what you don’t have and be worried about losing out on things that will never happen.  You know, I could wish that I had never had my stroke so that I wouldn’ t have dietary and activity restrictions on me life.  But you know what?  The stroke was a blessing in disguise because it showed me a whole new way of life, a healthy lifestyle that I had no idea about its existence.  And I also learned how to exercise in a healthy way, from going to physical therapy and continuing with the exercise afterwards.  It has been over three years and I am still tracking my sodium and exercising five times a week.  Before that, I never paid attention to the food labels and just ate whatever I wanted.  And I never exercised.  Growing up asthmatic, I thought exercise was for everyone else.  But God got me on my back in ICU and taught me a better way.  Reading the labels on food now is second nature, as is exercise.  Now, would I rather eat whatever I want?  Would I rather skip exercise and just chill?  Sure!  But that is not good for me, and I am blessed to say that I have lived long enough to see three more healthy grandchildren added to the family…all girls!  

I feel like I’m rambling today, but I really do have a point. Two of them, actually.  One, don’t spend your life wishing that everything were different.  Enjoy the blessings that God has already given you.  Look around you and you will find plenty to be thankful for.  And two, you can choose to abound in hope because God will fill you with it.  His Holy Spirit will fill you with an abundance of hope…so that no matter what you face, you know that God will take care of the details and you only have to do your part. I carried Hope for nine months, not knowing what would happen in the labor and delivery room, but trusting God regardless.   Just keep on keeping on, in the belief that God has your best interests at heart.  That should give you hope!  Blessings and prayers until next time.  

This is an absolutely amazing book of vignettes for kids that teaches them how to love Jesus and others, in an active way.  Bob Goff is an author, a lawyer and a layman who carries the actions of Jesus to the world.  He helps those who cannot help themselves and this book encourages children to do the same.  I really enjoyed the chapters about the new heart and the medals for Charlie.  We all have a new heart and we all need medals.  It was encouraging for me to read that God is cheering me on in my daily struggles in life, and I am confident that this book will be an encouragement for children.  I recommend this book for ages six and up, and I highly recommend that parents read this book with their children so that the parents can discuss the chapters and the truth available there.  It is important to apply truth, not just to know it, and that is the theme of this awesome book.  LOVE DOES is all about doing for Jesus, even if you are only a child.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”

This was an absolutely mesmerizing novel that caught my attention from the beginning and kept me enthralled all the way to the surprising and satisfying ending.  The premise is that Bram sells their house while Fiona is on a weekend getaway with her girlfriends and all of their children.  Bram and Fiona have decided to separate amicably and share the house, for the sake of the children.  The story is told in alternating points of view, which was off-putting at first, but once I got used to it, I actually enjoyed it.  Fiona was weak and gullible.  Bram was selfish and opens himself to being manipulated because of his bad behavior.  The novel was a quick-paced read with twists thrown in at the least expected times.  I really enjoyed the interactions between Fiona and the new owners of her house.  The most enjoyable part of the book was looking into the lives of Bram and Fiona, in their own words, so it was easy to see the problems that each was facing and how they were dealing with them.  The reader cannot help but ask, “What would I do in this situation?”  I think that is why fiction readers will be drawn to this book that has a different and engaging premise.

Disclaimer

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Penguin Random House.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions that I have expressed are my own.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

When my daughter Hope was a teen-ager, one of her favorite Christian artists was Amy Grant.  Today, I talk a stroll down memory lane and offer that song for your meditation.

I was always told that I had my daddy’s eyes—big, brown eyes that tear up easily whenever I see someone in need.  Long dark eyelashes hidden behind my glasses.  That feature, so I have been told, is my best one.  But what I really want, what is really important to me is to have is my Father’s eyes.  I want to see the world as He does, don’t you?

My meditation and reading this morning was about discipline and God’s judgment and His justice.  I went to bed last night pretty discouraged, asking, “How long, O Lord before You judge the evil in this world?”  I had just caught a glimpse of the newspaper with the headlines of a nineteen year old who had tied up and raped a fourteen year old and the judge let him off with probation.  “Seriously?”  I said to myself.  Then God started my morning with Scriptures about His discipline and His judgment.  I needed this today, and I hope it will bless someone who reads it.

The alternative to not being disciplined is unthinkable.  We are blessed when the Lord disciplines us because He is showing His love for us.  We must choose to live a disciplined life after God has shown us the right way.  We are saved, we are being saved and one day we will be saved.  It is a process and a road of discipline of ourselves and our wicked heart that wants to sin.  But we choose daily not to do so…not to hurt others with our own wickedness.  However, there are others in this world who seem to be committing violent acts of wickedness that are unimaginable and yet they seeem to get away with it.  How does this happen?  I lay part of the blame on the fact that we have a corrupt justice system.  Many are in the system just for what they can get out of it.  The Bible calls them corrrupt judges.  And so they are.  Our justice system is broken.  But God’s isn’t.  Here is what He says about His Justice and judgment.

If I am disgusted with the things I see in the news, how much more must our Creator be hurting over the evil that is in man’s heart?  But God has a solution.  One day, He will judge the whole earth.  We will stand before the Lord.  I want to stand before Him justified.  I had a pastor once tell me that means “Just as if I had never sinned.”  Jesus died for me and His blood justifies me.  But I know that I cannot continue to sin because God is a God of justice, not only mercy.  He cannot look on sin, so He judges it.  The ones who are wicked and seem to have “beaten the system” here on earth will one day stand before the King of Kings and then there will be justice.  Don’t get me wrong..I am not an advocate that God send all of these people to hell.  I deserve hell as much as they do; what I am saying is that there is hope for these sinners just as there is hope for all of us.  We have the same hope of salvation and being right before the Lord.  But we have to repent and turn from wickedness, not continue in it. I remember long ago at dinner one night, our oldest son had had a really tough day at school.  There was a particular boy in his class who bulllied him daily.  As a family, we prayed at the table each night and that night it was Scott’s turn.  I still remember his prayer:  “Lord, heap burning coals of fire on his head.”  What?!? Where did that come from?  So, of course we had to talk to him about the Scripture and its context:  Romans 12:20 says : “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.  In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.” (NIV) You see, Scott had been kind to this bully, so he expected God to exact judgment on him.  Isn’t that truly what we all want when we see injustice in this world?  But God wants men to repent, to come to Him so that when judgment comes, the justice that is meted is salvation.  I am glad that I am not the judge…I am blessed that I am not the judge, actually.  God who does all things right and in good time will one day judge all the wicked, and I don’t have to be concerned that people are getting away with being evil.  One day….

I want to be one pursuing a virtuous heart and helping others to see the road to discipline, the road to eternal life.  The “how long” is up to God and I trust Him.  I hope that you do, too.

All photos are compliments of Gracie Marchiani. Check out her site at gmarchiani.wordpress.com

The Scriptures were added with the new BIBLE LENS APP. I am loving using it and I thought Gracie’s wonderful photos deserved to be captioned with God’s Word. Let me and Gracie know what you think. In the meantime, go forth in His light and be blessed! ❤️