CHOOSE: ONE DAY AT A TIME

A daily choice. One day at a time.
Let go of the if only's and the what if's and celebrate the day, one moment at a time. We hear it at every turn. That idea seems to be pasted all over self-help book sections and gift shops display plaques, wood blocks and even tea towels with the message.

Yet, it is not some sweet sentimental thought, it's scriptural.

Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes. (Matthew 6:34, MSG)

Some churches choose to post it on their message boards.

So....if God's word chooses it and the people of God choose it, it must be a good daily choice to make.

CHOOSE: FRIDAY FUN

It's easy to choose Friday Fun when you're with friends---especially when it has been Friday ever since Tuesday!

God's Word says there is a friend who sticks closer than a bother. (Proverbs 18:24) I have GREAT brothers so these special friends stick with me just as my brothers do. Friends who are there through thick and thin. Friends who "nurse" you through your cancer journey.

Friends who often put your needs above their own. Friends whose very presence blesses your that you might bless others by their example.

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 

Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:12-14)

What fun it was to celebrate Friday together for 4 days this week!

CHOOSE: TO BE SURPRISED 10/5/17

You might be surprised at the "theme" of this blog as well as surprised when I get it posted!!
Now you’re probably really surprised b/c this is a Thursday
Blog entry & today is Friday.

CHOOSE: A WORD FOR WEDNESDAY

Blog readers might recall the entry "My One Word" For 2017 my "focused word morphed from joy to choose.
After all most things in life are a choice.
The gist of this Wednesday word is Choose. Choose to make hope-filled choices.

NOTES: Choices based onCarol Kent's presentation at our Girls' Getaway presentation last weekend.

• CHOOSE LIFE. Instead of an emotional death, help others choose life as well---but don't minimize pain. (John 10:10)
• CHOOSE TRUST. Too often we live in fear, not freedom. Freedom comes from knowing how great is our God.  (Isaiah 41:10, Matthew 14:22-36)
• CHOOSE VULNERABILITY. All our longings are open before the Lord; even our sighs are not hidden from Him. (Psalm 38:9) 
• CHOOSE GRATITUDE. In everything give thanks. (1 Chronicles 16:34, 1 Thessalonians 5:18) 
• CHOOSE FORGIVENESS.  Forgive quickly and completely as the Master has forgiven you.(Colossians 3: 13-14, MSG)
• CHOOSE PURPOSEFUL ACTION. Do something new. (Isaiah 43:19) Be open handed in your doing for others. (Deuteronomy 15:11)

A List of 6 hope-filled choices with God's promise of being with you, strengthening and helping you and upholding you with hHis righteous right hand.
Be intentional in your choosing of one uniquely for you this Wednesday.

CHOOSE: THE RIGHT ANSWER

The first "right" answer was easy for someone in her 7th decade!

Are you pregnant? No. 

Would you tell the tech if you thought you might become pregnant? That's a moot point. But it was the admission lady's first day.

Yesterday's blog space holder informed readers that I would share my answers to question, "how does one accept hard experiences without giving into negative emotions," as soon as I was allowed to throw the little "revealing" gown/robe into the "dirty" bin. 

Here's what I learned. 

First of all, I must confess several wrong assumptions based on previous unpleasant mammogram experiences---my visits would mostly keep me at West clinic until mid afternoon. Not yesterday! Quickest time ever. 

Of course, the shock soon gave way to fear that Jennifer, “the smasher,” missed something. It took a bit of time, but chose to see the shorter time-frame as a ”God kiss” and went on about my hectic day.

Also, the “little” gown I have given in the past was replaced with one so large I could have hidden a baby elephant in there with me. Of course, care was still taken to avoid full frontal exposure.

Usually, certain body parts would freeze when they came in to contact with the large machine and I could easily fall over from holding my breath so long. 

No longer the experience. Machine was a bit chilly but I never even had to hold my breath one time.

Mrs. Liles you may get your clothes and sill see you in a year. What? 

"No extra pictures or ultra-sounds? Those are a part of my routine." 

Obviously, not this time.

Given my little pink sheet I quickly, stuffed it in my “tote" and didn’t read the fine print until later. I saw normal/ negative. Then I saw the "dense" column was checked and they weren’t talking about my thinking process. GULP. 

“Denseness of breast tissue made it harder to evaluate and may also be associated with an increased risk of cancer. Report will be sent to your doc and together you can decide options right for you."

Maybe they were just covering their tracks or passing the buck, based on previous law suits.

But God reminded me that a "new" worry was not today's answer. He is the One who is the answer so once again I choose to trust Him  (Psalm 38:15)

CHOOSE: LITTLE PINK PAD

Cancer Center.

Choose the little pink pad. Sounds simple enough.

But.....how do you choose the Pink Pad without also choosing anxiety, dread for the procedure without fear of the outcome?

So....how does one choose reality of a hard place moment without exacerbating the situation with negative emotions? Here's my list.

• Battle those fearful thoughts with the Sword of the Spirit. (Ephesians 6:17)
• Know that the spirit of fear is not from God. (2 Timothy 1:7)
• Remember God’s goodness in a past cancer journey or difficulty and tell others. (Psalm 145:4)
• Recall God’s omnipresent promise. (Isaiah 41:10)

Give up the “what if it’s cancer” tremors and exchange it for “even if it’s cancer,” I know God can use it for good. (Move from “what if” to “even if” thinking---a tip I learned from Carol Kent)

Choosing the little Pink Pad was something to lead me to results I had no control over so........"when I am afraid," it's wise to put my trust in the hands of the One who is truly in control. (Psalm 56:3)

CHOOSE: TO MEASURE UP

Measuring up can be hard. Many strive for perfection, especially young moms who try to do it all so they look good on FaceBook, or other social media, ""Mommy Moments!" 
If we compare, we despair. (J Hezlep) Never compare your insides with someone else's outsides. (my NASB marginalia)
When you’re tempted to use the measuring stick of comparison — be sure to measure UP by focusing upward on Christ — whose you are and who you are in HIM! (Renee Swope, Proverbs 31 Ministries)

The opposite end of the self-pity spectrum (guilt and shame for not being "good enough") is the self-promoting end. One can always rationalize their sin as not being as bad as someone else's or even worse in someways, is seeing the sin in others and not recognizing it in oneself.

One needs to let go of expectations of the world as well as their own excuses and use God's word as his/her only measuring stick.
When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise (2 Corinthians 10:12b, NIV)                  

But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. (2 Corinthians 10:13 NASB)

Sometimes even the older ones need to look up to the younger ones---spiritual maturity knows no age.
Choose to measure up to God's BEST plan for your life, not someone elses, even your own.

CHOOSE: TO HEED THE BILLBOARD

One of questions I am often asked is how does one know God's will for them. Granted it can be hard to figure out specifics such as which college attendance, house purchase or investments.

I have even heard, "I just wish the Lord would write it in the sky so I would know exactly what His will is for me?

Well.....when traveling keep your eyes open. Relevant messages might be on a church marquee or even a billboard.

How's that for a Bible based God message. 

Don't neglect meeting together. (Hebrews 10:25)

When it's scriptural, it's a good idea to choose to heed it!

CHOOSE: TO HEAR

Nowadays there are sounds all around. Quietness is hard to come by. Background noise is even available for purchase.

With this music I might listen to the melody but not enough to hear what words are being said.
Yet, in the hymns of old, as well as the praise music of today, the lyrics are worth "hearing.

Click link Old Church Choir to listen to a "new to me" praise song.

SOL (Sing Out Loud) as you read the lyrics to ensure hearing.

Old Church Choir

Zach Williams

There's revival, and it's spreading
Like a wildfire in my heart
Sunday morning, Hallelujah
And it's lasting all week long

Can you hear it?
Can you feel it?
It's the rhythm of a gospel song
Oh, once you choose it, you can't lose it
There ain't nothing, there ain't nothing gonna steal my joy

I got an Old Church Choir singing in my soul
I got a sweet salvation and it's beautiful
I've got a heart overflowing 'cause I've been restored
There ain't nothing gonna steal my joy
No, there ain't nothing gonna steal my joy

When the valleys that I wander
Turn to mountains that I can climb
Oh, you are with me, never leave me
Oh, 'cause there ain't nothing, there ain't nothing gonna steal my joy

I got an Old Church Choir singing in my soul....

I'm glad I chose K-Love on my car radio this morning to "hear," because the music had me singing in my soul!

Sing and make music from your heart to the LORD (Ephesians 5:19)...............a great way to start a day!

CHOOSE: WISE INVESTMENTS

For me to even type those words feels like a foreign language. To invest wisely is not usually in my vocabulary because financial investing is the first thing that comes to my mind---and I couldn't tell you anything about "the Market!" Bull? Bear?
But God...these last few weeks has reminded me to take stock of the worries that are pretty bullish in my life lately. Not Wall Street stocks as I don't have any of those, but I do have that level of panic that is often reflected on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. It's time to cash in and divest myself of the fears that bring worry, which can become a growing sense of panic.
When our nation worries, the markets plunge. The Dow even fell today. (Whatever the DOW is.) When I worry, my spirit plummets.

As Chuck Swindoll  puts it,  (in my notes from, Christ at the Crossroads) I need to dump my useless panic and  worries and regain a solid share of God's peace. (Philippians 4:6)

Obviously I've been unsuccessful in disinvesting my self of worry & panic for many years now. My 2009 blog about patience listed ridiculous circumstances that would throw me into a panic. Sadly, the same things hold true today in my panic-driven life.  How slow am I?

Today, I choose wise investments. Ironically, one an appointment with a financial advisor, but the wise investments were ones I made with my time and other people. I chose to spend time in prayer, send some texts and emails to hopefully encourage family and friends and most importantly to visit with a widow friend face to face.