ONE LIFE TO LOVE!

Since the name of my blog is Soul Reflections, it's time to reflect upon the serious happening in Orlando.

I will never understand senseless killings and murderers in the name of any deity. It all seems so unreal that a person would be so cold-hearted to take the lives of people he doesn't know, never met, has no idea of their likes and dislikes, or anything else.

I grew up in a small Pennsylvania town, where you just lived life. Go to school, church on Sundays, evening meals, play in the park, read at the library and just go through your day being normal, I guess.

In this day of technological explosion, we are receiving so much real-time information that it causes an overload of our senses. Too much TV.  Too much video games. Too much crime. Too much internet. It doesn't leave us any time for self improvement or reaching out to our neighbors.

I remember 9/11 and the neighbor that I didn't know very well, came to my front door to bring us a dozen cookies.  She said, 'If 9/11 teaches us anything, it should be about knowing people in our community.' We are all one people.

Yes, I'm a Christian. God tells us to love each other because He first loved us. Love covers a multitude of sins, the Bible says.

Why isn't love at the center of man instead of hatred and evil? It's a dilemma as old as time. We always want what others have or we can't be who they are so we try to destroy them.

Maybe we just get these 'wake-up' calls or events to remind us how tenuous life is and that we need to take stock of who we are and what we are doing to each other.

I can't say that I know what made the assassin do what he did but I wonder who was investing in his life.  Who was loving him?  Who was teaching him right from wrong? Because we all really do know what is right or wrong. To kill is wrong. Simple.  To love is right.  Simple.

What is the answer? I don't know. I do know that as far as I can do, as long as I can be, as long as there is breath in my body, I must work to make this air that I breathe, breathe out goodness, kindness, gentleness, self-control, love, mercy, grace and more, much more.

This is the only life we have. This is the only world we have.  These are the only people we have. We have one chance or opportunity to work this out and we had better start now.

We only have today and are not promised tomorrow or even the next minute. It's time....

#Orlando  #OneLifeToLove

My Scripture for the Day

Psalm 27

Verse 4 made me cry.

Verses 13-14 grabs my heart.

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.

God speaks to us in His Word. He is able to give you a word, no matter where you look in the Bible, for this day.

UPDATE

Hello All!

Sorry that I've been lax on posting.

Update on my husband: 1. It's hard turning your mind around and realizing that you can share God things with him. 2. It's hard to change into an obedient wife. I thought I was unless it had to do with spiritual things, like doing what I wanted when it came time for church. Now, I have to consider his wishes more than my flesh wants to. 3. It's wonderful sitting in church with him when he can get there. 4. Yesterday he was accepted into the church membership. Hallelujah!
5. Usually when I want to stay, he wants to leave. 6. Maybe that's a good thing, so that I don't get burned out overworking. 7. How can you overwork for the Lord? 8. Tonight's our last night of the Christian Life and Witness Course that we're attending together. 9. I'm going to get him his own Bible today. 10. I'm painting at the new building today, since it's my day off. 11. We're starting a Branch of our church once a month at our home. Kind of like a 'home cell' group but not with the wrong connotations. It will be fellowship time and prayer. We're going to incorporate music because we have the studio. Once we get it going, I think it'll be fun. After all, what's the sense in having what the Lord gives you if you don't share it with others?

That's it for now. Got to get to work.

God bless all of you and I hope the Lord grants every good and perfect gift to all.

Take It Easy...

Remember the oldie - "Well, I'm running down the road, tryin' to loosen my load. Got a world of trouble on my mind"?

Here's the chorus line"
"Take It easy, take it easy
Don't let the sound of your own wheels
drive you crazy
Lighten up while you still can
don't even try to understand
Just find a place to make your stand
and take it easy"

It just keeps running through my mind today because of what the Lord has done.

Since my husband has confessed his salvation, I keep waiting for the Glory of God to fall and anoint him with His Holy Spirit.

I haven't yet experienced the euphoria of emotion because of his salvation. I thought bells, whistles and jumping for joy would accompany his testimony. Nope.

My husband is a very quiet man, a man of a few words. Why would I think that God would change his personality? He's the way God made him.

Salvation doesn't change the man, it changes the way the man is.

The Franklin Graham Festival is coming here in June. We have been preparing for this for a year and a half. There are so many training and educational opportunities before this event takes place, that I had a dilemna on how to be able to participate within the event without ruining my marriage.

Now, that Mike is saved, he has been so understanding (another prayer answered).

FG had an upcoming Christian Life and Witness Program starting last night. So I just prayed and left it in God's hands, that I would like to go with Mike. When he came home last night, he asked me what the evening would hold and I told him that I wanted to go and asked if he did too.

Of course, he said no. Said he didn't need it to witness to people. So it started a whole conversation on witnessing. I told him that I hadn't had 'formal' training on witnessing and that I wanted to be able to KNOW the truth so that when I see someone witnessing in the wrong way, I could say that I KNOW the right way.

He didn't say much about that but said that he was happy and had no worries so why go at all.

I said then, what will you say to people who ask you, why are you happy? What is the reason for the hope that you have? He couldn't answer. So I left it at that.

I just got in the shower and left it in God's hands. Next thing I know, he comes in and says "I think I'll go with you. I don't like staying home alone anymore and I'll go and see what it's like."

See, we have to 'take it easy' with our loved ones and leave it in God's Hands. He knows the desires of our hearts and He's blessed me so much that I'm complacent to let Him do it.

For all of you 'unsaved' spouses, take hope and encouragement. Don't expect fireworks when your spouse gets saved. Expect God to do it in His timing and perfectness.

Expect God. Expect Him to save AS HE HAS PROMISED IN HIS WORD.

He won't let you down.

P.S. I hate the term 'unequally yoked'. Everyone is, because no one is on the same level. I love the feeling of being married to a believer, though. I feel like I finally fit in, even though, I already did.

P.P.S.S. Always look at your unsaved loved one as ALREADY SAVED. God does. He knows the ending from the beginning. So must you.

Shoes In Church

I showered and shaved...............
I adjusted my tie.

I got there and sat..............
In a pew just in time.

Bowing my head in prayer.........
As I closed my eyes.

I saw the shoe of the man next to me.....
Touching my own. I sighed.

With plenty of room on either side......
I thought, "Why must our soles Touch?"

It bothered me, his shoe touching mine...
But it didn't bother him much.

A prayer began: "Our Father".........
I thought, "This man with the shoes.. Has no pride.

They're dusty, worn, and scratched Even
worse, there are holes on the side!"

"Thank You for blessings,"
the prayer went on.

The shoe man said.........
A quiet "Amen."

I tried to focus on the prayer.......
But my thoughts were on his shoes Again

Aren't we supposed to look our best..
When walking through that door?

"Well, this certainly isn't it,"
I thought, Glancing toward the floor.

Then the prayer was ended............
And the songs of praise began.

The shoe man was certainly loud. ........
Sounding proud as he sang.

His voice lifted the rafters.........
His hands were raised high.

The Lord could surely hear..........
The shoe man's voice from the sky.

It was time for the offering.........
And what I threw in was steep.

I watched as the shoe man reached....
Into his pockets so deep.

I saw what was pulled out............
What the shoe man put in.

Then I heard a soft "clink".
As when silver hits tin.

The sermon really bored me..........
To tears, and that' s no lie.

It was the same for the shoe man.....
For tears fell from his eyes.

At the end of the service........
As is the custom here

We must greet new visitors..........
And show them all good cheer.

But I felt moved somehow.............
And wanted to meet the shoe man

So after the closing prayer..........
I reached over and shook his hand.

He was old and his skin was dark....
And his hair was truly a mess

But I thanked him for coming.........
For being our guest.

He said, "My names' Charlie ............
I'm glad to meet you, my friend."

There were tears in his eyes.........
But he had a large, wide grin

"Let me explain," he said...........
Wiping tears from his eyes.

"I've been coming here for months....
And you're the first to say 'Hi.'"

"I know that my appearance.........
Is not like all the rest"

"But I really do try.................
To always look my best."

"I always clean and polish my shoes..
Before my very long walk."

"But by the time I get here...........
They're dirty and dusty,like chalk."

My heart filled with pain............
And I swallowed to hide my tears

As he continued to apologize.........
For daring to sit so near.

He said, "When I get here...........
I know I must look a sight."

"But I thought if I could touch you..
Then maybe our souls might unite."

I was silent for a moment............
Knowing whatever was said

Would pale in comparison...
I spoke from my heart, not my head.

"Oh, you've touched me," I said......
"And taught me, in part;"

"That the best of any man.....
Is what is found in his heart."

The rest, I thought.................
This shoe man will never know.

Like just how thankful I really am...
That his dirty old shoe touched my Soul.

You are Special to me and you have made a
difference in my life.

This Good Day

With God's love, how can we ever think it's a bad day?

He consumes us with His love. It overpowers the greatest threat that could ever come against us.

His joy conquers all doubt and pain. His mercy overwhelms us as we realize how far we've come.

His grace...phenomenal.

When I focus on the enormity of the cross, all else fades into indistinct emptiness.

He, alone, is faithful.

Peace, beyond measure, floods my soul.

I want a fat soul. I want fat on my soul bones. His Word is the food of life.

The Best Medicine

Prescribed by the Great Physician

The next time you feel like GOD can't use you, just remember...
Noah was a drunk
Abraham was too old
Isaac was a daydreamer
Jacob was a liar
Leah was ugly
Joseph was abused
Moses had a stuttering problem
Gideon was afraid
Samson had long hair and was a womanizer
Rahab was a prostitute
Jeremiah and Timothy were too young
David had an affair and was a murderer
Elijah was suicidal
Isaiah preached naked
Jonah ran from God
Naomi was a widow
Job went bankrupt
Peter denied Christ
The Disciples fell asleep while praying
Martha worried about everything
The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once
Zaccheus was too small
Paul was too religious
Timothy had an ulcer... AND
Lazarus was dead!

Now! No more excuses!
God can use you to your full potential..
Besides you aren't the message, you are just the messenger.
And one more thing...
Share this with a friend or two...
In the Circle of God's love, God's waiting to use your
full potential.



1. God wants spiritual fruit, not religious nuts.

2. Dear God, I have a problem, it's Me.

3. Growing old is inevitable .. growing UP is optional.

4. There is no key to happiness. The door is always open.

5. Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.

6. Do the math ... count your blessings.

7. Faith is the ability to not panic.

8. Laugh every day, it's like inner jogging.

9. If you worry, you didn't pray. If you pray, don't worry.

10. As a child of God, prayer is kind of like calling home everyday.

11. Blessed are the flexible for they shall not be bent out of shape.

12. The most important things in your house are the people.

13. When we get tangled up in our problems, be still.
God wants us to be still so He can untangle the knot.

14. A grudge is a heavy thing to carry.

15 He who dies with the most toys is still dead.


Have a great day!!! The SON is shining and he
can certainly use you!


"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves;
it is the gift of God."
Ephesians 2:8