Musings. Snippets. Discoveries.

Thoughts, discoveries, lessons, all of which remind me, He's not finished with me yet…

"Imagine yourself as a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on; you knew that those jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently He starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make any sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of - throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were being made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”

Forgive people. Always.

Words hurt.

Words empower.

Encourage.

Give.

Everyone is valuable.

Everyone is fighting their own battle.

Take the time to sit and just listen to time passing by.

The more I see the less I know.

Seek to understand, not to be understood.

This is only part of the bigger picture.

Find the joy.

What does negativity achieve?

Challenge others.

Be challenged.

People are infuriating.

People are wonderful.

People are confusing.

People are people-ish.

Love selflessly.

I am not strong enough.

I don’t have to be strong enough.

Help others.

Allow others to help you.

Try something new, big or small.

Listen to a child’s conversation.

Talk to a stranger.
Hope and Pray. 

Failure is just a time to learn.

Experience is the best teacher.

Leaders are servants.

 “I’d like to be remembered as one who kept my priorities in the right order. We live in a changing world, but we need to be reminded that the important things have not changed, and the important things will not change if we keep our priorities in proper order.” 

“Be the change you want to see.”

"Strive not to be of success, but rather to be of value." 

“Nearly every moment of every day we have the opportunity to give something to someone else – our time, our love, our resources. I have always found more joy in giving when I did not expect anything in return."

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left and could say, I used everything you gave me."

The Seasonal Friend

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” –Dr. Seuss

Those mountains, they seemed so high, but you grabbed my hand and pulled me up to look at the view.

We raced through obstacles like kids on the playground.

When the rain came trickling down you made sure I splashed through the puddles.

The dark streets would light up with your laughter.
As the waves came crashing onto the shore you helped me chase them away.

I threw my head down in despair and teasingly you threw yours down in a mocking manner.

We talked.  We walked.  We laughed. We existed. 

But one day the sun came up, scorching, and it sent you on your way. 

At first glance the sun was painful to me—it blistered. I didn’t want our season to end, you became my comrade, I didn’t think you were supposed to leave.  But when the pain subsided the appreciation came. 

“I know that whatever God does,
It shall be forever.
Nothing can be added to it,
And nothing taken from it.”  Ecclesiastes 3:14

The walks and talks were for a time and in that time I grew; or rather we grew together.   

Without you that mountain would have not been so easily climbed nor that race so quickly run.  You helped me laugh through every obstacle and jump in every puddle.   You didn’t leave; our paths merely went different directions.  I was blessed to have you be that someone to walk beside me.

 The blisters from the sun are almost gone, they remind me to be grateful for our season, and for each season I’m given.  Every time I remember you I wish you the best, and I know that when the rain comes you’ll jump in and when the waves crash on the shore you’ll run after them.   

To the seasonal friend, I thank you, because you showed me how to appreciate even the smallest of memories, for it seems those are the ones that become the fondest.

“To everything there is a season, 
A time for every purpose under heaven:

A time to be born, And a time to die;


A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted;

A time to kill, And a time to heal;


A time to break down, 
And a time to build up;

A time to weep, 
And a time to laugh;


A time to mourn,
 And a time to dance;

A time to cast away stones, And a time to gather stones;


A time to embrace, 
And a time to refrain from embracing

A time to gain, 
And a time to lose;


A time to keep, And a time to throw away;

A time to tear, And a time to sew;


A time to keep silence, And a time to speak;

A time to love,
 And a time to hate;


A time of war,
 And a time of peace."    

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8