Seasons of life

Have you ever just sat back and realized that the seasons of the year change so suddenly and almost unexpectedly? Well I have, and have noticed again just recently. It may be because I have a little son that just doesn't have my baby boy left in him. Or it could be that my baby girl is just growing up so much. I guess it isn't all too bad as they are both growing up to be great kids. You know if it wasn't for the want things change this would would become a very boring place. Well the kids are the only things that change. I have decided it is time to make a change in my life. I am taking a 90 challenge that I believe will make a huge difference for me. You can join me or follow me @ http://danielaanderson.myvi.net/

Who are you dressing up like after Halloween?

Of the things that I have noticed in life, I always find it interesting that everyone wears masks. Not masks like Halloween masks or masquerade masks, but the way we mask who we really are. I don't care who you are, you have masks. Some masks for one group of people you are with and other masks for yet others. It all comes down to either trying to be someone we think will be accepted by others, or trying to prove who we "really are." When in reality, is it just a struggle trying to figure out who we really are for ourselves.

Let me explain: We put on one mask at church, another at a ball game or hanging out with friends, and another at home. You may try on one mask if you have a job interview or when you go to try out for a team at school. Don't take this as I have figured it out. I am as guilty as anyone. The great thing that I am always able to come back to is that I don't have a mask that can hide what God sees. He sees me when I'm hurting or embarrassed and I'm trying to be cool and not let other know. He sees when I'm confused or just angry. I am also reminded that when you have a relationship with Christ that who you are shouldn't be hid by a mask instead, go ahead and let Him show through.

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Spiritual Vitamins

Wouldn't it be great if we could just take a vitamin to help us stay healthy and strong spiritually? I know it may seem like a random thought, but it really isn't. I get questions from students and adults alike at times about, "how do you know what the will of God is?" There is also that question that inevitably comes up as well, "why doesn't God help me more against the temptations and sin?" Well, if you want to know the will of God, and to have help to resist sin, then you need to be taking your "Spiritual Vitamins."

Let me explain what I mean. I believe with all my heart that the will of God for your life can be found in the Word of God. If you think it is anything without the confirmation from the word of God, I would encourage you to search it out. The Word of God, the Bible, is God's letter to us, and is not just a historical book with stories of people that lived a long time ago. It is the Living Word and it has the answers for us today. The Problem is that we don't know what the Word of God says, and we don't take time to search it for answers. You know that old method of closing your eyes, flipping the pages of the Bible, and putting your finger on a passage and figuring that the ALMIGHTY GOD, CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE, THE ONE THAT DESIRES TO BE IN RELATIONSHIP WITH ME, will direct my finger to the exact place to help me understand His will for me. The problem with that, is that is the only time we are spending in the Scripture. By taking your "Spiritual vitamins" I mean that you need to spend time with God, and read His Word, every day. As a vitamin needs to be taken every day, so does our time with God need to be a daily thing.

Often times we don't start taking our vitamins, until we are feeling sick and needing a little pick me up. We know how important vitamins are and that we should take them, but we neglect it because: I'm too busy and I forget, Don't I get enough in my food?, I'll start taking them tomorrow, My axe handle broke... Whatever the reason (excuse) you make for not taking your vitamins, the fact is you don't take them. It is the same with your time with God, I'm too busy and I forgot, don't I get enough from Sunday school or church?, I'll start tomorrow...

The simple truth is that if we want to gain the benefits of a life in Christ, we need to spend some time with Christ. An every day time with His Word, in prayer, in worship and praise, is the only way to be ready to know what the will of God for you is. The beauty of this is that as we spend the time daily with God, we do find the strength to resist sin more, and find direction for our life. As we follow more closely our loving Savior, the clearer His path for us is, and the more obvious the pit falls are.

So as you get ready for the day, let me remind you to take your "Vitamins" the spiritual ones that is.

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Sometimes I Just Smile

You know I was thinking today, that sometimes I just have to choose to smile. Not that I want to, not that I have some blaring thing that causes me to, but because I need to. I know different times in my life I have had things going on that I didn’t particulary care for. Even in the middle of it, there was always something that I could smile about.

The interesting thing about smiling is that a person can rarely do it and it be fake. Even if someone tries for a while, eventually they get tickeled about how dumb they look faking it and then smile for real. Another thing, you don’t have to teach someone to smile. Babies do it automatically when they are happy, it is univeral in all races and cultures. You know, I have even heard and seen the effects of how smiling can cause others to smile too.

So, look around see if there is something to smile about, I bet you can find it. If you can’t, smile anyway, someone might be looking at you.