Tag: blessings

Manual Focus

Retina Reflex SLR

So many times in life we lose our focus.  We need to adjust our lives back into focus, and get back in touch with what matters.

I’ve spent the last few weeks thinking through this post, and reflecting on the start of this year and what the new year means and the new beginnings that it brings.  It is when we take our eyes off of what is most important, that we lose focus and lose our way.  When you look through the Bible, you find many stories of true Bible heroes, that lost their focus, lost their way, and then eventually came back to the life God had called them to.

The first three that come to Samson, David, and Peter. Samson, lost his focus, blinded by the lies of Delilah and feeling that he could go about things on his own, was blinded literally by his enemies.  But with his last breaths, he prayed, that God would bless him with power one last time, and defeated more Philistines in that moment as he crashed the temple.  David, lost his focus to lust for Bathsheba, lost a child, and lost his way.  But in the end learned from his mistakes, and changed.  And the story of Peter walking on the water is to me the prime example of having, losing, and regaining focus, in a very short amount of time.  As soon as Peter stepped out of the boat and had his eyes focused on Jesus he was walking along just fine.  But it is the exact moment that he took his eyes off of Jesus, and looking at everything that was around him, he began to sink.

It is the times that we take our eyes off of what God has for us, and focus in on the chaos around us, that we begin to drown in life.  We get so caught up in the stuff, that goes on day in and day out, that we forget the blessings that are right in front of us.  We have to regain our focus on our families and on what God has for us.  It is the minor adjustments that you wouldn’t think about that make the biggest changes in life.  We must make sure that we are looking to God, and being fully focused on what He has for us.

by corymcglone

Thankful, Blessed, and Grateful

20111226-164332.jpgIt’s that time of year again, the time of year that we think back on everything of the past year. We are closing out one year and looking forward to the coming year with its new chances to start over, a new year with new beginnings. For Many people, this is the only time of year they will: make it into a Church, think about others, think about God.
In our society, there are many people who will go to church on Christmas and not again until the next year. This is also the time of year that you can and will hear songs about Christ, in secular settings. Maybe it’s a situation that this is the only time some people see the Christmas Spirit in others. Too many times this Christmas Spirit disappears, if we’re lucky sometime in mid January, or when they get into their car in the mall parking lot. Hopefully it’s not the same person flipping the bird that was just saying,”have a blessed Christmas/have a blessed day.”
But it is this time of year that we do the things that we should do all year:
1. Thank God for all that he does and continues to do.
2. Reflect on all the good things in your life.
3. Give your family your undivided attention.

Every year no matter how bad the economy is, there have always been presents under the tree at Christmas, the heat has always been on, and we have had a warm place to sleep. Now I don’t want to sound sappy, but it’s not the number of presents that are under the tree but the time that you get to spend with your family.

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It is this time of year also that we as parents, Christian parents, need to also insure that we are teaching our children that there is more to Christmas than a fat guy in a red suit that breaks into houses and steals cookies, but leaves presents. We need to make sure that we are telling our kids the true meaning of Christmas, about Jesus and the start of his life as a lowly baby.
So during the rest of this year and the coming year, take time to remember the most important things in your life, daily. Let’s head into 2012, giving God the praise and thanks that he deserves for all that he does for us. Find the bright side in any and all situations, because no matter how bad we have it at that moment, learn from these situations.
Live by the old saying of “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” but also remember that God will never give us more than We can handle. Take any and all chances that you have to go out of your way to do something for others around you, not for a thank you, or to be one up one them, but buy lunch, coffee, etc. for the person in the drive through behind you, do something for a stranger, Pay it Forward if you will. Do this not for other s to see you doing it but so that you and God know about it. It is the small gestures that, will make large differences in the day of others.

Merry Christmas, good night and God bless.

by corymcglone