Posts Tagged love

Silver Linings

We choose what we will focus on. It’s easy to get distracted, but just as easy to turn our gaze back to the good stuff.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. Philippians 4:8

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We Are Many

I sometimes imagine God and Jesus, sitting side-by-side, watching me go about my day. And I’m sure there are times God looks over at Jesus and asks, “Did you see that? Are you sure about this one?” But I’m also sure that every time God asks, Jesus replies, “Yes, Father, I’m sure. He’s one of mine.” Thank you, Jesus!

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, Ephesians 1:11

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The Sun Came Up Again

I wrote this one spring morning in 1998. It’s one of my favorites, because it’s real and it was what I was thinking and feeling that morning. When I came across it again on this cloudy morning, I thought maybe it could be the beginning of a novel. The title would be attention getting too, don’t you think? I believe it would most likely be a tale about never giving up, which would be fitting. I need to write… something.

the sun came up againThe Sun Came Up Again

The sun came up again, across the street, in the neighbor’s yard, through early budding tree limbs. The sky glowed fiery red, then golden, then dazzling white, as another day began. A slash of light fell ‘cross my arms as I wrote, and the thought crossed my mind I’d said too much, heard too much, and suddenly… things had changed. I wondered if they had changed for the better. I hoped so. I’ve changed things before, by being too open. Too honest. I’ve watched the sun come up, regretting words I’d spoken the day before, things I’d done. You would think I’d learn. I have learned. I’ve learned the sun will come up. Sometimes you will see it and feel it, sometimes you won’t, but it’s there.

And I’ve learned love is like that. At times you can bask in its warmth and feel its arms wrapped around you. A flash of it will lay across your heart. Then… at other times, it falls silent and cool. It’s still there, just not as obvious. The thing is, you have to know it’s there. Never doubt it. Never turn away. Just know that behind the cloud, behind the mountain, behind whatever has made the warm glow fade… It is there. You have to let it be there. You have to want it to be there. It can’t always be glorious. It can’t always be spring.

Copyright © 1998 C Mashburn

 

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I Think I’m Onto Something

God sent Jesus to die on the cross for our sins, because He loves us unconditionally, and wants us to be with Him for eternity. How awesome is that? I want to love like that! I want to give everything I have to God and my family and friends so we can all be together with God forever. And, if loving unconditionally is what it takes, then I want to do it! I truly believe if we focus on God and love Him with all we’ve got, He will put that kind of love in us. In fact, I will go a step further and say I think that kind of love is already in us; it just needs to be unleashed.

A binding of love

I think I’m onto something.

The father loves the Son and has placed everything in His hands. John 3:35

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Stop It!

I can hardly grasp what God has done for us. Knowing we could not save ourselves He sent His Son to take all our sins upon Himself. This is a miracle bigger than healing the sick, raising the dead, walking on water, or feeding five-thousand people with five loaves and two fish. It is the ultimate demonstration of God’s power and love. We are forgiven! We are loved!

So, what’s the problem today? Why do we live in fear? Why are we sad? Yes, we all have fears, insecurities, and sadness but we don’t have to. In John 3:17, Jesus said, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.

a man - forgiven

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The Little Congregation

It happens quite often to me; I wake in the morning with a song in my head. The strange thing about it is that the song is often an obscure song, or at the least, one I haven’t heard for years. Such was the case this morning when I awoke with the song, “Little Jimmy Brown” doing a continuous loop in my head. Where in the world did that come from?

Anyway, I felt I needed to share it with you. In light of our current situation, especially with regard to churches closing temporarily. Many will gather in small groups in their homes to worship and praise God, and I offer this–the slightly altered chorus of the song–as encouragement.

Little Jimmy Brown

Here’s a link to the song if you’d like to listen to it:

Little Jimmy Brown

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Back in the Day

There was a time we’d fix things when they broke instead of just throwing them out and getting a new one. It’s sad it’s come to this. And, even sadder still, it’s too often true with love. Back in the day, “Until death do us part” meant something.

Back in the Day

 

In the old days

When things were broken

You didn’t throw them away

You fixed them

 

Your sock had a hole in it

You darned it

Darned if I know why

They called it darning

 

When a sock got too thin

Or the holes were too big

You used it as a rag

To polish the old furniture

 

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Grandpa ~ Pa to the family ~ Luther “Bunk” Stringer

I remember grandpa and grandma

It seemed like they fought a lot

Sometimes nothing more than

Grandma’s steely stare

 

Grandpa bent over the sink

Washing his hands

Seeing her anger over his shoulder

Reflecting in the kitchen window

 

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Grandma ~ Ma to the family ~ Jewel Stringer

Next thing you know, they’re in their chairs

Side by side, talking about the day

Making up, but not saying so

Just loving each other quietly… easily

 

Back in the day

Things and love got holes in them

You darned them, patched them

Glued them back together

Throwing them away…

never crossed your mind

 

Copyright © 2013 C Mashburn

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Be the Light

Sometimes people need encouragement, even the confident ones. Maybe, the confident ones need it most. I often find it strange that I’m the one some look to for encouragement, for I readily admit I’m the one who quite often needs to be encouraged. There seems to be no guideline or rationale about where we seek encouragement and/or approval. Some seek it from everyone they meet. Some seek it from parents who are often too busy to realize the need they leave unfulfilled. Some seek it from unlikely sources—such as me—and when I find this to be the case, I try to remember that we never know which seed might be the one that produces a mighty oak.

light at the end 2

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galations 6:9-10

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STOP!

If the Christmas season causes you stress, then you’re doing it wrong. Be still. Let the reason for the season wash over you and bring you peace.

early morning (3) Be Still

Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14

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Love Is All We Need

minion guitarSongs have always moved me; some in a positive way, others just the opposite. Lines from songs have struck me as genius, some as profound, and some as simple truth. Interestingly, it took years for the truth of those lines to truly mean anything to me, and I too often wish I’d seen the wisdom in the words before I reached this age of… maturity. Yes, I admit, I wish I’d known then what I know now. I should have listened to the music.

Now… where I began is far behind me. I can’t even remember some of the roads I traveled, and I wonder how life might’ve been if I’d lived it all without fear.

We all do it. We scratch and claw our way to what we’re told is success, which translates to security, and then cling to it as if it can keep us safe from all harm, only to realize the light we obeyed for most of our years was the one in the middle; the yellow one. Oh sure, we often ignored and sped through it, telling ourselves if we stopped the guy behind us my plow into us. And so, we lived, caution being another word for fear. Green being just as frightening, and the red one to be avoided at all cost, because slowing down was bad enough, but stopping meant you’d given up, allowing something, someone, to take control.

But… what if we’d lived like we were dying? Would the knowledge our time was limited have caused us to throw caution to the wind? Would yellow have been meaningless, and red nothing more than a dare? How fast and how far would we have gone? Maybe not far. But we would have lived like there was no tomorrow. Or… like there was, and it counted. Counted, because it would give us more time to love, which, I’ve realized, perhaps too late, is what living is all about. Love is indeed, all we need.

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