Our Daily Moments

By Nancy Kuykendall

Our Daily Moments is about moments and experiences that occur daily and how they affect us. A short but poignant experience can happen very quickly. These experiences can change us in an instant. We humans are emotional beings. Even the most stable and disciplined among us can be knocked off-balance. Our emotions and attitudes can be altered in just seconds. We are all susceptible to the many life experiences that enter our days. We are affected, consciously or subconsciously. Every moment of time is part of our lives. All that we call good or bad can be used by God to teach us and to know him more. God wastes nothing.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Nancy Kuykendall
• Release date: Feb 2, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201103378

Nancy Kuykendall

Nancy Kuykendall is a life-long musician who has taught music, served consistently as a church musician, and performed for a wide variety of events. Nancy and her musician husband, Steve, serve together in their church and have performed together throughout their marriage. Nancy retired after a thirty-year teaching career to seriously pursue her desire to write. Her inspiration comes from her experiences, surroundings, circumstances, life events, people and pets, and her relationship with God. She is the author of five other non-fiction books: Mornings on the Porch, Ordinary Wonders, Our Daily Moments, Now I Lay Me Down TO SLEEP, and God is Not Silent - One woman's encounters with God. She has written a fictional series: The Old Woman - Book One - Meet Rose,  The Old Woman - Book Two - A New Year, and The Old Woman - Book Three - A Time of Change. Nancy and her husband make their home in North Dakota.

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January 1

A New Year

Today is the first day of a new year. Every January, I feel hope and excitement at the arrival of a brand-new year. I’m not one to make resolutions, but I usually have some sort of goal in mind, or plans I hope to fulfill.

One after another the years have come and gone. Each New Year’s celebration memories flood back to previous years. Every January I remember my early school days when it was a big deal to write the new year’s date on our papers. I remember moving through the decade of the 60s as I went through grade school. In January, the teachers would remind us to write the new date. There was always something fresh and exciting about going back to school after the holidays and realizing there was a whole new year ahead. It was an even bigger event when we slipped into the twenty-first century and started writing the number 2000.

Years have passed, but I feel I’m the same person now that I was in those early school days. Time ages us but doesn’t necessarily change who we are. My spirit and sense of self are the same today, as they were when I was a little girl. I recognize that same person inside me, though I have matured with time and experience. The little girl grew into a woman, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother. But even as the mirror reflects an older face and some graying hair, I can see the little girl and the teenager I once was. Maybe it’s that child within that allows me to continue to feel excitement over a new year and hopeful of what it might bring. Maybe it’s the spirit and life created and put into me, and the plans God has for me that cause me to be happily expectant at the beginning of a new year.

It’s another new year and along with it, a fresh clean slate of 365 days laid before us. None of us know how many days we have left in this life, or if we’ll be here for the next New Year’s celebration. A close friend started last year with us but was gone before this new year began. Illness took his life at an age most of us would consider too young. Neither he, nor any of us who knew him realized he wouldn’t have 365 days of life last year.

We don’t know when God will call us out of this world, but we can welcome this new year with hope and joy and excitement of what the year may hold.

A person’s days are determined; you have decreed the number of his months and have set limits he cannot exceed. (Job 14:5 NIV)

January 2

First Things First

Iwas thinking today about how things in life require a step by step process, or at least one thing to come before another, if we want the results we expect. We must study and learn to be able to pass a test. We put our socks on before our shoes. We measure the ingredients before we bake. We need to gain a certain amount of education to do a certain job. We must do our job well to receive a raise, or a promotion. The list is endless.

We tend to forget this fact when it comes to the things of God. We often expect certain things without doing our part first. We may believe that all things work together for good, but scripture says all things work together for good when we love the Lord. We are to love the Lord first.

We may believe certain things should, or will, be added to our lives, but the Bible says we are to seek first the kingdom of God then all these things shall be added unto us. We are to seek the kingdom of God first.

We may believe God will, or should, lift us up, but his word says we are to humble ourselves in his sight and he will lift us up. We must humble ourselves first.

We are happy and eager to believe God is love. We sometimes forget he is holy and worthy of our worship and praise.

God is in the business of bringing all people to know him. He wants all to believe in him, trust in him and follow him. It is for our good. God will offer himself to us, but we are free to choose him, or not. When we choose God, he is free to bestow his blessings on us. After we believe him, trust him, and follow him, then God can use us for his plans and give us his blessings and guide us to fulfill the desires of our heart.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28 NIV)

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. (James 4:10 NIV)

January 3

Mistake or Lifestyle

There is a difference between singing a song and being a singer. There is a difference between telling a lie and being a pathological liar. There is a difference between stealing an item or being a thief by profession. There is a difference in committing a sin or living a continual sinful lifestyle.

The Bible, and even society, give us certain rules and commandments to provide the best life possible. One lie can wreak havoc and, certainly, one who continually lies, or steals, has committed a crime and is living sinfully and should be held accountable. One who commits adultery has committed a moral crime but there is the life of one who chooses to live in a continuously promiscuous lifestyle. The Bible, and the world, warn against drunkenness. We know the many consequences of being drunk. Just one drunken episode can ruin or end a life. But one who chooses to live a lifestyle of drunkenness is worse off than one who has a one-time lapse in judgment. Yet, all are equally harmful and sinful, the one-time event and the continuous life-style.

The difference in these examples is that any one of us can fall into poor judgement and sin, commit a crime, and bring grave consequences. But, we have the choice to ask forgiveness of God and man. We can change our behavior and make things right. We also have the choice to turn our sin into a lifestyle. Not only will this second choice destroy us, it will put a wall between us with others, and with God, and will keep us from being who and what God created us to be.

When we fall into Satan’s trap and find ourselves in sin, we have the choice to stop, or to continue. God wants us to have the best possible life. If we are to have that life, serve God and be a good and godly example to others, we must turn from any sinful lifestyle and turn to God. We only need make one decision, one time, to have God in our lives, but even then, we have the responsibly to guard our lives daily, in every moment, repent when we fail, then receive God’s cleansing.

Repent then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. (Acts 3:19 NIV)

Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.

(Romans 13:13-14 NIV)

January 4

Today’s Moments

Not all moments are pleasant. Reality is, we all have bad moments. I had some bad moments today. I’d be a liar if I said I never had times that upset me. Today, I allowed myself to get irritated and upset when some of my hot buttons got pushed and I felt hurt. When I paused to think it through and decipher what it was that was bothering me, I realized each of these bad moments made me feel insignificant. No one likes to feel they don’t matter.

I was feeling irritated by those who are always too busy to follow through with what they’ve promised, or to even respond when I inquire. I was feeling annoyed by those who want to tell you, in detail, about their lives and magnify their difficulties, yet their eyes glaze over if you share about your life. I find myself exasperated by those who allude to situations and use cryptic speech. They’d rather make you wonder or take the bait and ask. Today I refused to bite. These situations somehow added up to me feeling insignificant. It appears some are too busy to bother with me. Some seem totally uninterested in me. Others are manipulative and controlling. I realized I felt discounted and disrespected.

I was bothered for a while, upset, and even angry. I thought about the times in my life when I’ve felt insignificant or even invisible, whether I had sufficient reason or not. I began to think about how easily I might make someone else feel this way. I began to think about ways I could show real interest, and care or concern for another. I began to think about ways I could make others feel significant.

Certainly we can give some time to each other, or be truthful about when we’ll have time. We can surely look into another’s eyes and truly listen when they’re talking to us. We can be upfront and say what we mean and mean what we say, tell what we need and not make others guess or play into manipulative games. We can be respectful to each other and treat each other as we wish to be treated. So, I took today’s bad moments, in how I was treated, as a lesson for myself.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV)

January 5

Our Bodies

Our bodies are the finely tuned, intricate and physical homes that we, our souls, live in while here in this world. Our bodies are meant to be fed, but not overly so. Our bodies are meant to sleep, but not too much or too little. We are meant to work but are also meant to play. Our bodies are not meant to be abused by drugs, illegal or prescription, or by alcohol or nicotine. Our bodies are not meant to be contaminated by chemicals. Our bodies are not meant for self-mutilation or to be overly used for pleasure.

We are prompted every day, from every modern source, about how to treat our bodies. We are told what to eat and what not to. We are told what to drink and how much. We are told to exercise and exactly how much. We are told of pills and supplements we must take, then told the multitude of dangers of each. We are told every possible habit to have or not to have. We are told products to use, and how much to put on, or in, our bodies. We are told what to avoid. We are afraid of many natural foods, yet poison ourselves with manmade foods, or foods we think we’ve improved.  We hate ourselves, yet overly love ourselves at the same time. It is impossible for any of us to follow every worldly command thrown at us, nor should we.

God intended for us to care for our bodies in a balanced way, so that we can enjoy health, live to the fullest and carry out his plans for us. Our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, given us upon our belief in Jesus and our trust in God, to help us. With godly discipline, we can live a balanced life, our physical health only part of it. Eating and living in moderation in all things is a good place to start, avoiding too little and not overdoing any. Moderation and simple, clean living following the words of God, will spare us the pitfalls of the constant urgings, excessiveness, and lies in our society over our health and our bodies.

Our physical body is temporary and is not meant to last forever, though scripture tells us we are to care for it. We are to care for our body, but not worship it. Keeping our focus on spiritual things, eternal things, will help us keep our priorities in order.

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33 NIV)

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2 NIV)

January 6

Aging

Iam past middle-age . I’ve been allowed to order from a senior menu and qualify for some senior discounts for a while. I’m soon to enter my seventh decade of life. The big sixty is looming. Though I don’t feel old, I know I can no longer think of myself as a young woman. My hair is turning gray. I see signs of wrinkles. I have a few inches on my body that weren’t there in my younger years and I’m softer. Gravity has begun now to show itself on me. My doctor’s nurse had to nerve to tell me I was almost an inch and a half shorter than previously notated. Frankly, that made me angry and I refused to believe her. I still proclaim my height to be the same as it was before her proclamation but wear heels that give me an extra inch or two much of the time, just in case she was right. For some reason that height issue bothers me most. Am I shrinking already?

I ask myself, Should I be concerned with these changes in my body?  I’m not twenty, thirty or even forty. I’m almost not even fifty-something. Of course, my body has changed. All bodies age. I have exercised my entire life and it has served me well, but my body is still aging. I watch what I eat, and count calories, but my body is still aging. I can dye my hair but don’t wish to. My hair is aging and it’s natural for it to turn gray.

Age comes to all of us and the beauty of youth fades. We lose the energy of youth. We can exercise and eat right to keep up our strength but little by little strength will fade. No woman, or man, at sixty years of age looks like a twenty-year old, not even with plastic surgery, hair dye, wigs, make-up, exercise and good eating. Age comes to all of us eventually. It may come slower for some than others, but it will come, and it shouldn’t surprise us.

The aged among us have plenty to offer in experience and wisdom. While our bodies grow old we are more fully mature in mind and spirit, ideally. I want to embrace aging, to be comfortable with it and even to accept my shrinking stature. I wish to grow old gracefully and I wish to be useful to God until my last breath, whatever age that is.

Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you. (Isaiah 46:4 NIV)

January 7

Love of Self and Others

There is a strong focus these days on ourselves—to think well of ourselves, speak positively to ourselves, be kind to ourselves, reward ourselves for good deeds done, or just because. We seem to feel that doing good deeds makes us good. These are not what any of us consider a bad way to live, but it often comes across more as an attempt to make ourselves feel better about ourselves, and life, through our own power and our own doing. Many believe doing good, and being good, ends with a life of reward in heaven. Most of what I see and read about this thinking is completely devoid of God as part of the picture, yet he is the giver of all life and the reason we can love ourselves and others in the first place.

God’s word teaches us to love ourselves and our neighbors. His words teach us to care for others and help them. His words tell us to give of ourselves. God’s word teaches us to love him first. To seek him first. To give our lives to him and his purposes. When we know God and allow him into our lives to teach us and guide us, the natural result will be love for ourselves and others. The natural result will be the fruits of the spirit in us working in our world to help and benefit others. The good deeds will come out of our love for God, and a more natural love for mankind. The closer we get to God and better learn his will, the more a spirit of love and caring will flow out of us. We’ll do loving acts as a natural outpouring of our love for God, not for the attention and rewards of man and the hope of a place in heaven. We’ll want to share God’s love with others, so they can know him.

Loving God comes first. Growing in God’s love fills us with love for others and a desire to do good works. Further, we are told to do our good works in secret, so that we may not boast but let God have the glory.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (Galatians 5:22-23 NIV)

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:3-4 NIV)

January 8

Cast Your Cares

Worry and anxiety are familiar to humans. I’d dare say we’ve all experienced times of these crippling emotions. They are so common; many live under the heavy mental and emotional load they cause, every day. Taking medication for worry and anxiety is common. Medication sometimes helps but carrying the load of these afflictions is not conducive to a peaceful or joyful life. In some cases, I’m not certain we can claim to trust God and worry excessively and continually.

I was a worrier for quite a few years. I didn’t worry about everything, but I had areas of fear that crippled me, and I worried constantly about certain scenarios happening. As I did, my anxiety rose. I learned, on more than one occasion, that all my worrying could not stop things from happening. They did happen. Though I was shattered, I learned that no amount of worry could change the future. When I realized this, I was set free. Worry no longer had a hold on me.

I knew the Bible said to cast our cares on God. I had read he would carry our load and help us, and protect us, and shield us, and carry us through difficult times. I had read these verses many times, but the day I realized worry changed nothing they came to have new meaning. The truth of it came alive. It meant I could delegate my worries and cares to God and he would take them. He could and would literally take them from me. When we delegate work to another it is no longer our responsibility and we erase it from our to-do list. Our load becomes lighter. It’s no different when delegating or casting our cares on God. He wants to take our load and when he does our burden is lifted. I have experienced this, and I can testify to the fact that God lifts my burdens when I give them to him. I don’t just read the verses anymore; I hand my fears to God and he comes to me and takes them.

I no longer live with constant fear and worry. When I do feel a worry trying to burrow into my mind, I make a point to catch it early and say, Here God, I give this worry to you. I trust you to work it out as you see fit. In his faithfulness, he takes it from me and eases my burden. I am worry free.

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7 NIV)

Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:28-30 NIV)

January 9

The Negative Ones

Ifound myself feeling very annoyed and impatient with someone today. It was not the first time this person pushed me to irritation. There are people who seem to constantly need help and encouragement, have the need to tell others how bad things are, how hard their lives are, and can suck the very life out of others with their continual negativity and neediness. I found myself growing so annoyed I wanted to abruptly end the conversation and walk away. At the same time, I felt it would be wrong and uncaring to do so. But I wondered, how long must one endure the never-ending negative narrative of a person’s never-ending negative life? It isn’t that they don’t have difficult situations; possibly they do. But, it’s the negative talk and what seems a self-pitying attitude, that goes on and on for not just days or weeks but even years, that sends me to feelings of impatience. I wondered if these negative people, like the one I was listening to, ever consider anything positive in their lives or consider that others have challenges too? These people never stop complaining over their own issues to hear the problems anyone else may be dealing with.

When I was finally free of the conversation, I thought about my feelings of annoyance and anger. I thought about what my role should be in this person’s life, while at the same time considering how I might go about avoiding this person forevermore. As much as I wanted to imagine being free of contact, and as much as I wanted to spare myself the irritation, I felt compelled to rethink my attitude.

I decided to search the Bible for some helpful verses, maybe to help this negative person. There are plenty of verses on encouragement, but it seems to me that many negative people don’t want help but would rather wallow in self-pity. Instead, I decided to look for some verses to help myself. I found verses that were for me. They reminded me not to ‘judge another lest I be judged’. They reminded me to be slow to anger, to forgive, to not put myself above another. They reminded me to be kind. They reminded me that I am to love others as God loves me, and them. I truly believe I cannot help the people who are set on staying miserable, but I can work on my own attitude toward them.

Do not judge, or you will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. (Matthew 7:1-2 NIV)

Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. (Luke 6:37 NIV)

January 10

Our Canine Friends

My husband and I have a dog named Melody. We’ve had several dogs and have found them to be remarkable creatures. Dogs are smart, intuitive, protective, playful, loyal friends, and above all, loving. I’ve had a few impressive dogs, but today’s subject is Melody, our English bulldog. Melody is five years old. We’ve had her since she was twelve weeks old, the left-over runt of a litter, a not so perfect purebred dog by breeder’s standards. But Melody is an exceptional dog. Bulldogs as a breed are that way. Our dog certainly is.

Melody is a quick study. It takes little instruction and no scolding to teach her. She only needs to be told. Once explained, she’s got it. She has exhibited this ability many times. Melody is also extremely observant. One thing is for sure; if anything appears that was not there before, Melody will bark and alert us to its appearance. To her, any new object in or near her environment is cause for alarm until she is told, or shown, it’s ok for it to be there. Inanimate objects that appear bother her, whereas people usually do not. For the most part, everyone is her friend unless they prove themselves otherwise, or she believes them a threat for some reason. So far, she has charmed most everyone she has met and has many human friends. She loves people more than she loves other dogs, or other animals. We call her our person.

Melody hears very well, and any unusual sound will have her alert and barking, often before we can hear anything ourselves. She doesn’t have an annoying bark, quite the contrary. She has a certain one-time woof that means she needs outside. She has another type of bark that lets us know she hears something wrong going on. I never shush her until I check out what she hears because she is doing her job and doing us a service by alerting us. Just the other night she alerted us to a problem. It was an issue that needed attention and she was visibly upset until I checked out the problem. It was good she let us know. Her awareness helped us help another.

Melody is a gentle and sensitive dog. This evening she showed love when a person who was visiting became upset and began to cry. Melody took notice, went to the person, snuggled up and pawed at our upset friend as if to offer sympathy and compassion. She obviously wanted to help when she noticed the emotional pain. On top of that, when we and our friend stood to hold hands and pray together, our sweet, loving, caring and very observant Melody made her way into our circle and planted herself there as if to take part in the prayer. I have felt before that this dog has heard God’s voice speak to her. Why not? She is a creation of our Lord God Almighty.

Melody, our fun and entertaining English bulldog, showed great interest, love, and concern toward her people today. She is very tuned in to us and the emotions around her. I believe the word dog, the backward spelling of God, is worth noting. God must have put a special piece of himself into our canine friends. It’s one of the many ways God shows his love toward us.

God is love. (1 John 4:16 NIV)

January11

More about Dogs

Many people have a dog. People like dogs for their companionship and for the protection they provide. Because of their protective qualities we should pay attention when a dog barks. Dogs bark when they hear unfamiliar noises or hear these noises at an unusual time. They bark when they see things out of place or when strangers approach. Our dog happened to meet our meter reading man for the first time today and her reaction to a stranger in our back yard was loud and full of alarm. A dog can be a great alarm system and alert us to danger, if we will listen. Dogs bark when they smell unfamiliar scents and can save us from fire. They can’t talk to us in human words, but they do communicate with us. If you know your dog well, you know when to pay attention when they display fear or alarm. When our dog barks we listen. She may be saving our lives.

The same is true with God. He wants to be and can be our companion and protector. God sends messages to us to protect us and save us. First, we have God’s word handed down through the ages. The Bible is full of direction and words of caution and words of wisdom. God also gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us and prompt us to the ways of good and warn of evil. We also have been given a conscience that alerts us to the error of our thoughts and ways.

God has his ways of making himself known to us and speaking to us. We are wise to listen to our friend the dog, even more-so to listen to God and his warnings.  Following his guidance will save our lives.

Let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance. (Proverbs 1:5 NIV)

Hear, O My people, and I will warn you; if you would listen to me, Israel (Psalm 81:8 NIV)

January 12

Memory

All of us have things we wish we could forget, either something painful we endured, or maybe the consequences of a poor decision we wish we hadn’t made. Memories can be painful, but just as true, memories bring back happy moments and bring back smiles from that time. My mind immediately goes to the moment of the birth of my three children and special times as they were growing up.

There are uncountable good memories locked safely in the corners of my mind. They overpower and lessen the sting of any bad memories. Focusing on good times helps seal away the bad ones. Memories are important to us. Most of us have plenty of photos and video to prove our need for memories. Alzheimer’s disease is an illness we fear because of the loss of memory involved. We don’t want to forget or to be forgotten.

Memories are a positive force...the people, pets, experiences, adventures, laughter and tears, accomplishments and failures. All of them together make our life, the life granted us. When we know God, he remembers our sin no more. When we are cleansed by the blood of Jesus, God sees us white as snow and the cleansing replaces our transgressions. Our transgressions are sealed away like a painful memory. 

Our memories serve us, but even if we lose our memory through illness and disease, God remembers us. God forgets our sin but remembers us as his own.

For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more. (Hebrews 8:12 NIV)

I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. (Isaiah 43:25 NIV)

January 13

Mothers

It’s true the things we think about and hold in our hearts is what comes out of us. This can be both a positive or a negative. We must guard our thoughts.

I find I write what’s in my heart. I’m working on a story about an old woman who is a compilation of the older women I wish I still had in my life, older women I’ve observed and admired, and the kind of older woman I wish to be, should I live so long.

I never knew my paternal grandmother. I have early and vague memories of my maternal grandmother and just a few snippets of memories of two great-grandmothers. All were gone before I was born, or by the time I was nine years old, and lived in other states. My mother has been gone many years now too. I yearn for these older women and mother figures. My heart created one in the character in my novel. If God should allow me the years to grow to be an old woman, I wish to stay close to my own daughter and maybe become a mother figure to a younger woman who feels the same lack and need I often do.

Not all children have their fathers or mothers for a lot of years. Not all girls have their mothers and grandmothers for very long, if at all. I sometimes envision myself sitting at a large table, the chairs filled with my great-great-grandmothers, great-grandmothers, grandmothers and my mother, telling stories from their day and from their hearts.

God can fill in the gaps by bringing other parental figures into our lives and with his own love for us. Lord willing, I wish to help fill the gap for someone one day and to share God’s love for them, too.

But you God, see the trouble of the afflicted: you consider their grief and take it in hand. The victims commit themselves to you; you are the helper of the fatherless. (Psalm 10:14 NIV)

January 14

When Sadness Strikes

Iwas going about my day feeling happy and content. I had a few things on my mind, but my day was going well. I had no complaints. Suddenly, an overwhelming sadness came over me. I knew what caused it, a song that had come on the radio.

I had never heard the song before but the music, words, and especially the great sadness in the singer’s voice drew my attention and I immediately flashed back to a past sadness in my own life. It felt heavy, even crushing. I wondered how a person could go from peace and contentment to utter grief in less than thirty seconds. I felt the sadness for a few moments then shook it off. I refused to travel down that road. I consciously said, no to what I felt was an evil attack. It certainly wasn’t God trying to hurt me and bring me down.

The world can hurt us. People will hurt us. God can nurse our soul, soothe us, heal us, and save us. I immediately went to some scripture about God’s love and care. It was God who carried me through my great sadness to begin with. He could help me with an unexpected flashback as well.

Fear not, for I am with you. Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you. I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. (Isaiah 41:10 NKJV)

The Lord is near to those who have a broken heart. (Psalm 34:10 NKJV)

January 15

Blessing and Discipline

Sometimes God blesses us. He may bring us abundance in some way. He may answer specific prayers the way we asked. He may open doors to new paths that benefit us. He may give us a breakthrough we need. God blesses us in many ways and if we’re paying attention we’ll recognize his blessings.

God also sometimes chastises us. As a parent may pull a child aside to talk to and discipline, God will discipline us. God wants to straighten us out when we’re wrong because he wants to teach us. He wants us to learn and grow wiser. Even with the best intentions we may go astray, and God, in his love, will stop us to point it out. Blessings feel good and excite us. Discipline hurts and can sadden us.

In the past twenty-four hours, I have experienced both blessing and discipline. God gave me encouragement and a breakthrough I needed. I felt happy about these blessings. I also felt the sting of his discipline as he brought some faults and failures to my attention. It upset me and made me feel contrite. No one likes to have their failures pointed out. But God in his great love and kindness consoled me while correcting me. I had only to say I was sorry. That’s it.

I set out to do better today. Every day is a clean slate and I knew no matter what I wrote on my slate, or what would be written for me, I was safe in God’s love. When I lay my head on my pillow tonight and talk to God about my day, I hope he’ll be able to say, Good job. You’re learning and growing. That’s my prayer. We are not perfect. God knows that but more importantly knows our hearts. Even correction brings blessing.

All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV)

Because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son. (Hebrews 12:6 NIV)

January 16

Seasons of Life

For a brief instant today, I witnessed what I consider a very moving moment. It passed very quickly. If I had averted my eyes for even a second, I would have missed it. In my sight was a 100-year-old gentleman friend, and a young mother carrying her two-week old baby. I watched as my old friend slowly walked down the hallway. As he, using his walker, maneuvered his way down the hallway going one direction, the young mother came quickly down the hall the opposite direction. In one quick blink of an eye they passed each other, the 100-year-old man and the brand new two-week old baby. Neither the old man nor the baby was aware of the other, yet in that moment, in the same time and space and place, an old life and a new life crossed paths. I observed this in awe.

I thought of the long and full life my old friend has lived. I thought of all he has seen and done. I know a little of his life and history and I know some of what has come into existence during his lifetime. The world has changed greatly since he was a tiny two-week old baby. His life is nearer to the end. He adds to our community and is very much alive, but the prime time of his life has come and gone. His time is running out.

The baby, on the other hand, has no concept yet of time or life ahead. The baby has experienced little and has almost no history at this point. The world the baby is entering is far different from the one the man entered, yet this man and this baby are living in the exact same time right now and just for that moment they lived their life in the same space, but from very different perspectives.

I thought about their moment in time all day. It struck me in a huge way and touched me greatly. I pondered time. I pondered those much older than I and wondered who I might have crossed paths with for just a moment. I thought about how time has changed things and how things will continue to change. I thought about God’s timing and who he places in what years on earth. I thought about the seasons of life and how there is a season for everything. My season of life overlaps with both my old gentleman friend and the baby. I will know some of both of their worlds. God chooses the years we are to live here, and I thought about what my years have seen so far and what they may become. The Bible says there is a season for everything. Today for a moment I observed overlapping seasons of life.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die. (Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 NIV)

January 17

Time Clocks

Ilike watches. In fact, I own a lot of watches and take turns wearing them, some more than others. In a way, I am a watch collector. Though I like watches as jewelry, I’m realizing more and more just how much I dislike clocks in general. To say it simply, clocks are demanding, especially time clocks. There’s something about having my day lived around what the clock says, and my moments being recorded by a time clock that frustrates and offends me. As soon as I wake-up, I’m aware of the time. I have only so much time to complete my morning routine, and within that time frame I’m aware of how much time I have for each activity. Tick tock tick tock.

My day goes on and I click into the time clock as I’m obliged to do. Several more times each day I’ll have to visit the time clock. Lunches and breaks must be accounted for, the going out and coming in. And each time, I find it offensive. How did this need to use time clocks come to be? I did a little research and found the time clock dates to 1888, with the possibility of one before that. Most every job I can think of requires employees to clock in and out, their time being monitored. I imagine the one bad apple adage applies to the invention of time clocks. There must have been those who took advantage of coming in late, leaving early, or staying away too long at lunch or on breaks. Some ruined it for all.

I try to understand the need for time clocks. I also know how much more trouble and work they cause. Time itself is not an issue. It’s just a passage. The categorizing of time creates the issue and the stresses, having always to listen to the demands of the clock and obey.

This is just a musing for me. Time clocks, and time as we know it, are temporal. They are not a part of eternity and one day will stop their demands. I find that comforting.

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2 NIV)

January 18

Human Nature

Iwonder about human nature. We humans are strange and complicated beings. We tend to be selfish and self-centered.

I overheard a gentleman talking with another about crazy drivers and how we must watch out for the other guy. He went on and on about it. I said nothing, but when he departed, I wanted to interject and say. "Sir, do you realize that to everyone else you are the other guy?" For every driver who frustrates any one of us, we have most likely frustrated another.

I heard a cashier greatly complaining about a certain type of customer. I then observed this very cashier, when off duty and buying her own items going through another cashier’s line, proceed to act exactly like the customer she complained about. It was strikingly obvious that cashiers and customers can transform into the other, depending only on which side of the counter they’re on.

I have observed, if someone brave enough decides to express a problem, a fear, or lament a situation, it’s astounding how often the receiver of this information will become defensive, claim no fault and even become aggravated believing their day has been ruined by the intrusion of what they perceive as negativity toward them. They get upset focusing only on their own feelings and discomfort. The original issue and person first affected is pushed to the wayside.

Insecure people seem only comfortable within their own circle of friends or people like them. Some of us seem incapable of leaving our comfort zone long enough to even express a simple nicety, such as saying, good morning and acknowledging another. Pleasantries are saved for friends, or those most like us.

Many of us like to people watch. Sometimes this ritual is carried out as if the watcher is observing a creature they are not related to. It’s people watching people. When we watch others, we are observing ourselves to some degree. Further, some people seem to think others are always looking at them, watching them. The self-conscious person is not being watched nearly as much as they imagine. We are self-centered to assume such.

We are all one of a large herd, so to speak. We are the same breed, each one unique yet more alike than we seem to want to admit. Unique, but equal, one no more special than another. In God’s eyes, we’re all equal and equally loved.

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Ephesians 4:3 NIV)

January 19

Tears of a Stranger

Awoman passed by me today. She was crying. In the past two days, I have encountered three different women, each quietly crying. These women were strangers to me, and in each case we were in a public setting.

Though I didn’t know these women, their pain touched me and caused me to remember a day when I was a young woman and cried all the way through a department store. I was in no shape to shop but stopped to pick up some needed item before heading home. Now, years later, I cannot remember what had me so upset, or what item I felt it so necessary to make me stop right then. I had been unable to compose myself and a woman employee approached me compassionately and asked if I was all right. Too upset to speak, I simply nodded my head and after a moment she left me. I bought my item and left the store still crying, but somehow the woman’s notice and acknowledgement of me, soothed my pain to some degree.

I didn’t know the women who crossed my path, but I asked each one, as kindly as I could, if she were all right. As I had done years ago, each gave me a nod and we both moved on. As I continued my way, I hoped the fact that they were noticed and acknowledged helped soothe them, in their pain, as I had been soothed.

And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ (Matthew 25:40 NIV)

January 20

The Heart of Health

Our culture is consumed with fitness, fad diets, clothing sizes, and specialty foods. There’s no doubt we have become heavier and less healthy than the generations preceding us. Modern life allows us an abundance of food, while at the same time causing us to be more sedentary. Instead of exercise being a natural part of life and existence, we must seek out exercise and fit it into our schedules. Having such abundance, we must make a point to eat less and to choose good foods. It’s important that we take care of our bodies and maintain our health the best we are able, but society’s obsession has become unbalanced. We are constantly consumed with our outward appearance and physical health, as if it is the end all.

There are many, who, in their diseased or disabled state, are unable to exercise or eat sufficiently. There are others whose life circumstances greatly hinder their ability to be fit and strong. As important as it is to strive for, or maintain physical health, it should not be our top priority. Our mental and emotional health are also important, and a strong spiritual health is imperative. When we put God and our spiritual health at the top of our priority list, it’s more likely the rest will fall into place and we’ll find a better balance. The very heart of our health is a relationship with God.

You shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3 NIV)

January 21

Procrastination

I’m having a hard time with procrastination lately. I’m not always stuck in this habit, but at times, under certain conditions, I just can’t seem to get going. It’s not a good feeling. Even though I’m putting something off, there is a constant, nagging voice condemning me. It only makes the putting off a thing worse. It can be torturous in some ways. So, why don’t I just do what I need to do?

When I was in high school I remember putting off a writing assignment. I knew it was going to be a difficult assignment and I just couldn’t get started. I sat crying in my room one night when I was faced with the fact it was due the next day. I no longer have any idea what the paper was about or why it paralyzed me so badly, but I couldn’t get it done until the last minute and under uncomfortable pressure.

When I was studying piano performance and pedagogy, I was in a state program with many requirements. Much practice was required, as well as bookwork. There were days I struggled to get myself to the piano. I let anything, and everything keep me from the bench and keys. Sometimes, even after I sat down,