The Way of Love

I Corinthians 13
Love never give up.
Love cares more for others than for self.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have.
Love doesn't strut,
Doesn't have a swelled head,
Doesn't force itself on others,
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle,
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others,
Doesn't revel when others grovel,
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth,
Puts up with anything,
Trusts God always,
Always looks for the best,
Never looks back,
But keeps going to the end.

This is the "love" chapter in the Bible and one of my favorites because I need to be reminded....

My friend, Jack Alexander, used to live by these words: It's more important to engrave your name in the hearts of others than any other tribute this world can offer.

This is a picture of my young niece Mackenzie holding a shell that she found when we were swimming together in the ocean.  It looked like the letter L was carved on the shell. 

Too Much Negativity?

 Do you know any "negaholics?" I get up every morning planning to have a "peaceful" day because I believe stress is the number one factor for any health issues.  The economy, war, daily news reports and let's face it, daily things that go wrong for each of us can feed the addiction of "negaholics!" Negativity is everywhere and we all recognize those individuals in our life because they zap the life from us; for me personally it can make a "peaceful" day go to hell in a hand basket.

How do we determine if our negativity is excessive and dangerous to ourselves and others? Consider the thoughts that enter our head. What are we dwelling on? Are the majority of our thoughts positive or negative? If negative, how can we change the negative to a positive? Remember excessive negativity can kill a relationship and so much more.

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you. Philippians 4:8-9

This picture was taken by my niece Theresa while she was visiting Sanibel Island, August 2014. 

I am grateful she shares her photos for me to post on my blog.

We need Others

And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; Genesis 2:18a

In life, I believe we all need each other. God created all of us to dwell with him and with each other. We think sometimes that we can do it on our own but I can tell you at my age I have learned that is impossible. I need the people in my life such as my husband, my kids, my grand~kids, my brothers and sisters, my nieces and nephews, my aunt & uncle, my cousins and that is just the family side of things. I also need my friends, my church family, my neighbors, my co-workers and that list is endless too.

Thank you Lord for bringing people into my life that I need and also need me. It makes life sweeter as we go hand in hand with one another through the good and the difficult of our journeys together!

This picture was taken after climbing Sleepy Bear Dunes while camping in Michigan around 1998  with my mom and my family from Spain.