I still love to write handwritten notes.  I have several pens and personal stationary and will often sit down to share my thoughts and sentiments with some of those that the Spirit has help to make dear to me.  I also like to receive hand written notes.   A hand written note seems to convey the idea that  I matter enough for someone to take the time to sit down and go to the effort of putting pen to paper to share what’s in their heart!

I was looking through some old notes that some friends have given me through the years and thinking about some of the people who have come, gone and stayed in my life.  As I read the words, sentiments, encouragements and promises in these notes, I was struck by the sincerity of some  which has been proven over time and the wishful thinking of others, who I am sure believed what they were writing in the moment.  And I realized that I have been guilty of the very same thing that I was thinking of others.

Times change and people change and we tend to forget what attracts, draws us to  and causes us to appreciate others.  I am sure that I am guilty of saying and writing things that I truly believed in the moment, but overtime forgot and did not keep true!

Here’s the thing:  I don’t want to be guilty.  I want to say what I mean and mean what I say.  The things I say to you today, I want to remember tomorrow and every day after that!  I want to remember and never forget why you make me laugh.  I want to hold onto why you encourage me with the actions and reactions of your life.  I want to claim and reclaim why you make my life better.

I think I am going to start making a copy of what I write in a card, note or letter to someone else.  This way, even after years have passed, I will remember and be reminded of what made them and that moment so special to me!

I have been very blessed to have some very special friends and I am making new friends every day.  There is not a friend in my life that I want to have to do without!  It’s not what I need them to do for me, but what I need to do for me, so that I can be a better friend to them that is important!

This is just a small thought that God is using to reshape me and my life.  I hope it encourages you and grows us all for His glory!

Don’t tell me you care!  Show me!  It is true that actions speak louder than words!  We have heard enough talk, what we need is some action.  We live in a world that is filled with hurting people.  Almost everyday of my life, I am blessed with the opportunity to walk and talk with some of these people.

Why do I do what I do?  I do the things I do, because I believe that if Jesus were walking through a community called Greer, this is the kind of things that He would be doing.  I cannot do it all, but I can do something!

I can’t let the excuse of my not being able to do it all to cause me to do nothing!  If I really care, then I must go to bed at night thinking about what I can do to make this world a better place and I must get up in the morning and get busy doing it!

Too Blessed To Mess!  I do really care and I am surrounded with friends who really care too.  We are making a difference in our world.  One life, one relationship, one helping hand, one listening ear and one healed heart at a time!

Do you really care?  Then get out of your comfort zone, step out of your personal agenda and prove it with the action of your living!  G3!

Some Scripture is easy and some is hard.  Some I can obey without even trying, some I have to really work at and some seems almost impossible!  I believe that it is all God’s Word and that it has powerful implications for our life here on earth and eternity and that is why I take time to read and try to apply it to my living everyday!

Yesterday I started a blog conversation about the Scripture where Jesus tells us to love our enemies!  It is one of those passages of Scripture that in our mind, we almost have to argue with, even though we know better!  It is found in the New Testament book of Matthew 5:44-45!

“‎44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.”

Jesus is changing the rules here!  He is saying:  If you really want life to be different, then you have to play by a different set of rules.  The normal rules of everyday living that everyone else lives by, simply will not do!

Instead of having hate for your enemy, have love.  Instead of trying to get even with your enemy, pray for them.  This not only changes you, but has to at some point make a change in your enemy.

But the motivation to do this is not what it does for you or to your enemy.  The motivation is what it does for God.  He says that we are to do this, that we may be children of our Father in Heaven.  In other words, when we live by this different set of rules, we bring glory to God – Who is clearly in control, causing the sun to rise and the rain to fall on the righteous and the unrighteous!

Bottom Line:  Our lives are to be lived for the GLORY of GOD and here is one step that we can take to live a life that G3!  (GIVES GOD GLORY!)