Check or Checkmate ? It's Your Move.

As he flipped over the hourglass to begin, his concern for time lost its focus.
Surely, there would be plenty of time to be successful. With lightning speed he completed the first few moves on the board & then stole a glance at the timer.  The sands appeared to have stopped - but how?
Surely there had to be more time to finish the game- to live more of his dreams- make his wrongs -right.
What had happen...what had he missed...
Maybe he would just start over.Time had stood still. Or had it?It was then that he noticed the sands of time had stopped.

He shook the timepiece with the hopes that the flow would continue...success. How much time had he lost? Could he recapture that time? What was played was played...there was no starting over...
for he had taken his turn & waited too long too make the most important decision of all.

 

The opponent...time.... had placed him in ‘check’. The pieces of the game were rearranged; awaiting his next decision. As he reconsidered, rationalized, & decided he had plenty of time to make that most significant move, the last granular of sand came to rest on the small mound. The reality became clear.

He was out of time...The game was over. His waiting had been his ultimate demise.

Before you reach the end of the time given you....please- decide.
It's your move...eternity waits...don't be left behind. Check-mate !

 



John 3:16

 

 

On the Menu

Elections are cooking with the mix of ads & calls. But you know- they really have not begun to turn up the flame under the skillets of scandals & sautéed opinions. That's when the 'stink' fills the mind of the voter & we find our appetite appalled at the burnt 'BS' & splatter of sensationalism.

Maybe it’s because each electoral seasoned recipe becomes more 'tasteless' in the process. Remember, processed food contains ingredients that may harm the consumer. When you decide what you want… what this Nation needs… be certain that the appetite of the recipient is hungry for what is best for 'the people' not just for themselves & their personal accomplishments in life.

Select your choices prayfully, America. ~ Read the ingredients in small print before selecting ~ ...Food for thought...

Attention Passengers of Life !

As we make our approach to the location of your divine destiny, we ask that you place your Faith in its upright position. The Pilot has turned on the sign for you to “Fasten your belt of Belief.” Our anticipated arrival to your Gate of Grace is Ephesians 3:20. The Angels of Heavenly Landings want to remind you: Your life travel plans were designed for you especially by God, the Creator of the Heavenly Salvation PrAIR Lines, as He continues to share His very best with you.

Enjoy your visit to 'Today's Opportunities' that ever popular travel location here in the City of Now. We trust that during your brief visit to this life, you will continue to ‘Soar in Spirit & Be a Blessing' in all you say & do.

As a reminder, please leave all excess emotional baggage of your past or any shadow of self-doubt & we will gladly discard it for you. Should you be unaware of how to secure your spiritual direction after your visit to Now, we would encourage you to refer to one of our most recognized travel guide's of HIS-tory, John. He has provided an easy to understand review of the resurrection of Christ on the worded map - Chapter 3: 16.

This information is found by accessing the GPS in your Bible (God's Powerful Spirit). Enjoy your day...your life & as only He can...God Bless You. Stay tuned for further life changing & exciting moments. This has been a ‘God's Only Son Paid All’ public announcement.

Knock Knock...Who's There?

It’s dinner time & you have just sat down to dine with your family when there is a knock on the front door.

Frustration flies through you for a brief moment as your family time has been rudely interrupted by the unknown owner of such persistence. Yet, you answer the door finding someone you do not know requesting that you sign a petition for their beliefs & cause. This may be for an elected official, a charity, or a project in the educational or community environment. They are asking for your 'help'. Your eyes glance to and fro on the page as you take the pen, and sign the line indicating your support. Do you really know what you supported with your signature? Or did you just do this to dismiss the person from your doorstep to rejoin your family? I'm certain the answer has been yes to both on many occassion.

Let’s look at our petitions. According to the scripture & the dictionary- Prayers are petitions. With these we gather support by asking others to pray for us or with us for someone or thing. Pray without ceasing. Let your requests & petitions be known to the Living God. Do you share your prayers, your desires for achieving something in your life with others, your struggles, challenges, and successes of praise by enlisting their support? Are you a ‘childhood verse’ prayer? Do you mutter or do you talk to God as you would your best friend…matter of fact like. Prayer is like a tug of war game.

Praying without ceasing is having the rope constantly taunt with effort, energy, & determination. The other side also has the similar plan. Their goal is to keep you from believing that your prayers are even being heard by the Father. Who wants to be pulled in the mud by not holding tightly to their faith? Not I & surely, you feel likewise. So, when you bow your head before a meal or whisper a silent prayer, recognize the power your words of petition have within them. You are speaking to the Creator of the Universe, the Maker of all, the never ending always existing best Friend who wants the very best for you. GOD.

Take your petition to others, share your heart, your goals, & get their support. Likewise, be a support to others in their prayers. Elect to select the option & opportunity to knock on the door & then trust it will be open unto you. Knock Knock..Who's there? Ask another question... Yubw8n 2 share your faith regarding the power of prayer!

R U Soulfully deFEETed?

“One of the first things on record after a baby is born is the footprint, the sole of the feet. Often even a name has not been decided yet when this one of a kind ‘mark’ is made. The feet help to identify the life from the beginning. Likewise, at the end of a life, another identification tag is often placed upon the toe of the foot.From the beginning, our feet are a foundation for the future destinations. Walk with me for a while...

From the starting line of any race, the toes of feet are aligned against the starting point. Standing on the edge of a cliff usually implies that you have your feet and toes directly at the point of no return. The feet are identified with motion,placement,and ultimately direction. Without feet one’s impaired mobility will result in a flawed stride. Even though the soles of the feet(and palms of the hand) are the toughest areas of skin on the human body, even when this area is injured, the pain is felt throughout the entire body.
Think about your body this way. The lowest area is the sole of your feet. The furtherest areas on either side are the hands. And the highest point, the top of your head.

These were some of the areas on the body of Christ that were wounded upon Calvary’s tree for our Salvation.
It is wise to respect the part of your person that literally supports all your weight when you take a stand. When you stump your toe or twist your ankle you know it will hurt. And should you cut the skin of your feet, the healing may take time. This area is under the pressure unfortunately felt by the wound; a constant reminder of error.

Let’s look at how our spiritual feet are similar to our natural feet.
When you walk in faith, you prayerfully tread upon your enemies. These enemies may be areas of weakness or people who wound your spirit.
When you walk in the natural and something is present that may harm you, you tread upon it by placing it under your feet. Or you elect to turn and walk away from the person or the temptation that is in your path for these are not necessary.
The toughest areas of your spiritual feet are also the softest part of your soul. This area not only withstands temperature but temptation and terrain as well.

We adorn our feet with extravagant and often expensive foot wear. Even though our selections may not always be the healthiest options in upholding our body as we walk, we continue to accessorize our feet with the shoes we like even though...
Remember ~ as you walk barefoot, your sole to the dirt of the earth, you are open to injury. Likewise, if you walk barefoot with your ‘soul’ to this earth, you are more likely to stumble and fall.

Secure 'the Light of the Word' to the feet of your faith and walk the path in your life that God has ordained just for you.

Prayerfully, place your best foot forward. When you walk with Christ, you will never walk alone in defeat!” Ask yourself...Yubw8n?

"Order Up!"

"May I See A Menu, Please"

Sometimes we go out to eat & then stare at the familiar menu of selections as if it is the very first time we have seen it. Then, we will ask the waiter about the ‘special of the day’& if THEY like it or not. Why do we base our selection choice often on the scale of someone else's likes & dislikes when it is our meal? Everyone’s pallet is different.It would appear that conversation accompanies cuisine in similar ways. Yet, rather than be cautious & concerned about our tone of conversation, & weight of our words, we ramble off statements with little or no consideration as to how they will look on another person’s feelings. We take liberties with the pre-determined portions of praise & curried conflict heaped upon someone else’s plate when we should be more considerate. We would be wise to taste our words before dishing them out.

When you speak, do you weigh your words opposite your thoughts before opening your mouth? Do you regurgitate your opinions & spit & splatter them upon others? Do you shove them down another person’s throat? Is it easy for all to see that you’re full of yourself & not only do you need a healthier dialog diet 'butt' you could stand a little help when it comes to how to scale down your fattened ego of expressions? Don’t worry; you are not alone in this self indulgent society of overweight sentiment.There are many who need to tighten the belt on their panting of complaints & find more compassion in their conversational cuisine. We would not be so miserable to ourselves & to others if we would just walk away from debates, disputes,& side dishes of drama. Indigestion from certain relationships could be avoided if we kept our opinions, comments & harmful whimsical rambling of words to ourselves. It’s good to know when we have had enough of even a good thing…let alone, something or someone who is unhealthy.
Today we have fast food & fast talkers that devour one another with a second helping but rarely a second thought.
Even our sentences contain words related to eating & food.

Phrases like:
You are going to have to EAT your words.
What’s the SKINNY on that?
Oh, we are just CHEWING the FAT.
You haven’t got the STOMACH for that.
I have a lot on my PLATE to do.
They have a healthy APPETITE for living.
You can DISH it out but you can’t take it.
I’ll take another SLICE of the PIE.
That’s CRUMBY.
Have your CAKE & EAT IT too.
Life’s so short, take SECONDS first.
That’s GRAVY.
He had to be SPOON fed all the way.
Your words really cut like a KNIFE.
You speak with a FORKED tongue.
He’s really MILKING the opportunity or is he just EGGING you on.
We had a celebrity ROAST for him even though he’s just small POTATOS in the industry.
It was really WATERED down.
Have you ever been BUTTERED up?
Seriously, what’s the SCOOP on that?
They are the top BANANA.
You are the APPLE of God’s eye. (That one, I like...;)

We talk about FOOD or food related slang even when we are making reference to something that has nothing to do with food. It is self consuming. We wrap our thoughts in niceness or humor, with a lot at ‘Steak’ & even though we meant ‘well’... ‘Rarely’ is this skill-et ‘well done.’

Never leave a conversation or any area of concern that may be ready to boil over, unattended. This could cause a fire that burns a relationship so badly that even the most sincere of apologies cannot extinguish it before its total demise. Season your words to taste. No more, no less. Mean what you say-say what you mean. Get out of the kitchen of comments if what is being prepared does not suit you. Why partake of something or associate with someone who is not to your liking. Be as selective in your relationships as you are in your dining. People of quality are sustenance for the soul & are to be appreciated for their own ingredients to the relationship. Our words reflect our hearts so always strive to be a Gourmet of Edification.

Menu Options:

Too Many Second Helpings:
It is easy to see & clear to hear that many people are extremely obese in physical demeanor & in how they wear their feelings upon their sleeve. Over indulgence is not at all attractive. Words can quickly become a premeditated sentence of situational suicide. Since we are what we eat, say,& profess.What happens if we open our mouth & nothing but air (or error) comes out? Then what? Yet, many are exercising their freedom of speech while not following the proper form in how they weigh words before speaking. Every day we see people in constant communication without even thinking about it. It is like breathing. Phones & fingers move quickly sometimes before the words even form in their minds or the light turns green as horns blare from irritated bystanders. This inconsideration towards others is the feverish food fight of fast forward thinking. Even though driven for better, they are mindlessly tossing the trash out the window of opportunity expecting someone else to pick up after them. This is rudeness with reasons no one will respect. We do this with our words. We say things, hurtfully & expect someone else to come along & make it all right. Wrong! Whether it be spoken from a podium, pulpit, or pillow, WHAT you say is not as important as HOW it is said, heard, & perceived. You know you have said…”yeah, but what I meant was…” This is the specialty of the house…a side-dish of dropped intention soup. A mess you will undoubtedly be cleaning up repeatedly, unless you hear your thoughts through before you pass the taste- test of talking.

The Assumption Appetizer:
This is featuring a popular dish named after many who partake: ‘Me-ism’. This selection takes only a little time to boil over,as it will spew its heated substance on the most sensitive of tough skinned hearted people, & then often leaves a scar of a memory many would like to forget. These people speak in dashes of demands. But rather than keep their words in small easy to swallow bite size morsels, they take each irresponsible action & irrational decision to irritate as many people as they can in one sitting. This is grammar gluttony.Let's dismiss them from the table, shall we.

Too Hot To Handle:
In a heated & haughty (hot) debate, discerning disagreements, or a deliberation of dialog, keep your words short, sweet, & smooth. These very words that dissolve from your thoughts to your voice must be easily digested. For this to happen, they must be measured precisely, pronounced properly, stirred with care as to not stick or scorch,& when tasted by the listener, they need be considered - a delicacy of edible expressions.

The Lighter Fare:
Look at poetry. As a poet paints their emotions in prose,& flavorful limericks, they season them with the right amount of sugar & spice & everything nice. These morsels will be tasted by the most sensitive of poetic palates. This recipe for rhyme is an art form. Therefore, be an artist. Mix & blend the colors of your thoughts in such a manner that when another hears your words, they appreciate your good taste. They will be blessed having shared an enlightening experience that will surely linger long upon the palate of their mind.You will be making an impression that will feed their soul.

Order Up...Wait on Words!!
Be a server & a servant of The Words that nourish & matter most…the Bread of Life.
Go ahead...have a seat. We will be with you in just a moment. While you are waiting-Take a look at GOD's Menu for Living.
Yubw8n.


NOTE FROM SHARON: "This writing was inspired by that of a reading I did years ago. What I learned stayed with me over time. Our words can set us free or we can be surely HUNG BY THE TONGUE. I trust the thoughts I have expressed in this blog will bless your heart & be food for thought. Always speak with words that you yourself would be able to swallow. And remember...once they leave your mouth, there are no leftovers or true do-overs."

Success is yours. Victory and defeat are born in the mind, "As a man thinks in his heart, so is he." (Proverbs 23:7) Humans speak what they believe and think, often causing defeat. "Death and life are in the power of the tongue." (Proverbs 18:21) Jesus said, "My words are spirit and life." (John 6:63) Fear will prevent you from speaking victory. This little book has helped many to rise from their defeated condition to a victorious life.

What you say...is often what you get. Place this 'read' on your menu.

Raining with Reason

Sprinkles of rain can become a downpour. A cloud burst may be seen as a heart overflowing with emotions. Put on your glasses & galoshes & step into a time where getting wet with wisdom is as easy as stepping outside your comfort zone. Let love rain or is that reign?


Have you ever stopped what you were doing to just walk in the rain? You could be in your best attire as you throw designer drama of dry cleaning debt to the wind,& stomp in the biggest deepest mud puddle of them all. As your hair clings to your brow,& droplets race to the cliff of your nose before plummeting to the ground, you turn your face to the direction of the sky. This is where thoughts of the experience take a turn…Question is- Do you see this as a lovely day?
We see blessings in life either as a soft gentle rain on a crisp autumn day or a thunderstorm of trials that test the umbrella of our patience. It's true, there are several people who have had that umbrella turn wrong side out with misfortune~ a sudden burst of hopes & dreams in the midst of trials. These folks scamper to the nearest awning to seek shelter.


What awning do you stand under in a storm after your umbrella of understanding has become tattered? Do you find yourself in the company of others seeking the same refuge? Do you share your thoughts on the circumstances that are pouring down on your life?


You are thinking to yourself…’are you crazy, why would I share that with a total stranger?’ Well, many people do this every day. In the middle of the storm, they share their thoughts with a God that they never really acknowledge in the fair weather times of their life, but cry out & sometimes curse Him when trouble befalls them. Just like a storm that suddenly appears, they complain about it before they really notice the benefits. God was there when the sun was shining but often He never heard from those it was warming beneath its light. Why is it people talk to God, the Stranger they have no time for, only when their back is against the wet wall of what-if & the pleading moments of desperation for help. Then when the storm has passed, they return to the non-communicative relationship of self sufficiency. This is the time to come in out of the storm of self.

The Creator holds each rain droplet as special & unique. How He sees each of us is how we should see the elements of a storm. Let's focus on just the 'rain'...
Every droplet of rain has a destination~


It may be destined to land on a flower, a car, a birdbath, a child’s face, a homeless person in need of a touch, or a seed buried deep within the ground anticipating that first ray of sunshine. Whatever the destination you were created for, go with the flow of each droplet of opportunity. See this as a way to provide a need to another person. Yes, you may be the very refreshment they seek in the drought of despair, the answer to a prayer, the sustenance to quench a thirst for truth, or just a moment to be acknowledged & supported so that they can believe in themselves by your belief in them. A single hello, have a nice day, take care, how are you, God bless…Simple things can make all the difference in a broken heart that screams for love in silence~


Appreciate the moments for what they are. Never take a single droplet of destiny for granted. These are someone’s Showers of Blessings as your Life is a beautiful rainbow declaring that God Reigns.
Walk in the Rain with Reason. As you do, you will discover it's purpose in your life. Be grateful for each storm...Yubw8n...the Son is always shining on you!

It's for you...

The phone rings...you pause for just a moment & wait as someone answers it & turns to tell you - "It's for you." Or maybe you've missplaced your cell phone & you're concerned about missing an important call from someone that is 'just for you'. Maybe you will miss the call regarding an emergency that you need to be informed of or an invitation to a special occasion meant- 'just for you'. Either way, you may experience a feeling of disconnection when communication is gone & out of your control.

It seems these days that everyone has their ear glued to the cell phone or texting with abandonment- in the car, at crosswalks, in stores, bathroom stalls, & even in the most intimate of settings-we really don't know the value of true communication at all. We have made it artificial.

Even when the phone rings- we jump to answer the call. When we have excitement to share, we immediately reach for the phone to call someone to share it with. Even as children we play ‘telephone’& actually never out grow the want-to of speaking to people on the phone. This fun, continues...

Caller ID is a great feature as it let's us see the present situation in real time & decide our actions; whether we will take the call or let it go to a recording even if it is convenient for us to answer. This ‘letting it go’ is simply another form of procrastination. Sooner or later, we know that we will retrieve the missed call, listen to it & then decide, if it is still an option to call back, an action worthy of our invested time.

Life is like that too. People come & go in our life. Many go to our ‘procrastination’ area. We avoid feelings, confrontation, decisions, & closure. If we had had a caller ID on this relationship, we would often just delete it entirely,if we knew then what we know now or should it just not suit us. This irritation rings & rings repeatedly until an action is completed. What is it that stops us from dealing with the situation...the person? Where is the communication?When was the last time you sat still, silent with another person, & then actually talked face to face? We get wrapped up in our life's 'stuff' & give less time to 'people' for who they truly are.

When opportunity calls, answer it. You never know who is on the other side, what it is that is being presented & if you fail to answer the call, well…you have done just that- Failed to Answer the Call. You missed it. And you may not have a return number to call back & hopefully recapture the missed moment.

On the Spiritual side of things, when you choose to be disconnected from your GOD, your Source, you are also lost. Communication has broken down. Prayer is a form of that relationship & requires no special words, equipment, or environment. There is no special ‘ringtone’, service plan, or unique gadget to use. You can talk with God anytime, anyplace, about anything. He is always awake & on your time zone. No long distance fees, no taxes, no rules. Just talk.


While we smile at the little one who finds joy in playing 'grown up' on the telephone,ask yourself this...Have we taught our children the value of prayer?
Do we appreciate the time we have to share our hearts with God?
So, the next time your cell phone rings…maybe a special ring tone of a loved one or a dear friend…don't hesitate- pick it up. They have a reason for calling you.

And as for prayer...God is waiting to hear from you. By the way, God doesn’t need ‘call waiting’,’ call forwarding’, or ‘caller ID’. God knows you intimately & loves you eternally– He just wants to hear your voice. Take the opportunity!

Ring...Ring...Answer His Call...
Ask yourself-Yubw8n?
After all,It's for you