Tag: Story

Living the Meme

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When I saw this meme on Facebook the other day, I had to laugh…and slightly cringe.

Why? Because I could relate. 🫢

When I was little, I always dreamed of being a Disney Princess…and now look at me — here I am a grown-woman relating to the likes of Cruella DeVille. 🙄🙄🙄🙄😂🤣

You know what they say, “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.”

Okay, maybe I’m being a little melodramatic…but there certainly is some truth there.

My inner Cruella tends to come out when I overcommit.

One such example happened over winter break last year — my boys were playing around in the backyard with the neighbor kids while I was doing some housework inside. I watched them through the window as they played.

Later on, when the kids finally came in for the night, my youngest son informed me that the little neighbor girl had inquired as to my whereabouts — sweetly asking, “Is your mom inside baking holiday treats?”🎄😊🎄

To which my 6-year-old son bluntly replied:

“No. She’s stressed out.”

😳😳😳😳😂😂😂😂😩😩😩😩

Kids say the craziest things, don’t they?? 🤣🤣😬

But, if I’m being completely honest…the sad truth is, he was right — I was “stressed out.” 🤯

It was Christmas after all…and in typical mom- fashion, I was trying to do ALL THE THINGS (decorating, shopping, baking, Elf on the Shelf…need I say more?? 🥴😵‍💫🫠).

I was trying to live up to waaaaaay too many expectations (mostly self-imposed)…and had bitten off more than I could chew.

Let’s just say it wasn’t bringing out the best in me.

In fact, in my quest for Pinterest-worthy Mary Poppins perfection, I had become more like the villain instead of the hero. 😔

And while I’d like to say it’s just the holidays that stress me out…everyday life oftentimes gets to me, too.

Bills, school assignments, work deadlines, never-ending piles of laundry, grocery shopping, budget-balancing, doctors’ appointments, sick kids…after a while on that hamster wheel, it’s easy for your mental space to become a far cry from the “peace that passes all understanding.” 😬😫😔

Despite the often misapplied verse, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me,” (Philippians 4:13), I’m writing this blog post to remind myself (and others) that we were never meant to literally do it all!!!!

In fact, when it feels like the weight of the world is on our shoulders, we would do well to remember that even the Messiah himself (who lived a perfect, sinless life) didn’t “do it all” while he was here on this earth.

Now, I’m not saying He couldn’t have done it all…He could have healed everyone in the world, brought world peace, etc. (Matthew 26:53)…yet, somehow He chose not to.

Which leaves us with one burning question…

Why not????

Why didn’t Jesus do it all while He was here?

🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

Well, simply stated, He had a mission and He stuck to it: “…the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10) — the spiritually lost.

And while he did help people along the way, He never let that detract from His ultimate goal.

Maybe that’s why when a paralyzed man was brought to Him, Jesus initially chose to forgive the man’s sins rather than healing him (Matthew 9:2-8). 🤷‍♀️

You see, He knew that restoring a person’s physical life was good — but that restoring a person’s spiritual life was better.

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Just as Jesus explained to Mary and Martha in Luke 10:38-42, we too have a choice to make between what is good and “what is better.”

With the limited time and resources given to us, we have to choose wisely where to channel our energies as well. We literally can’t “do it all” and still be pleasing to God (Matthew 6:24; Joshua 24:14-15).

If we are burning the candle at both ends so-to-speak, eventually there’ll be no light in us left to shine!

How then will we as followers of Christ be the light of the world as he has called us to be??? (Matthew 5:14)

Just like Jesus, we have a purpose and a calling: “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

There will always be laundry to do. Dishes to wash. Crumbs to sweep. There will always be another dollar to make, another bill to pay. Another holiday to decorate for.

All good things in and of themselves.

But when does too much of a good thing…stop being a good thing?

All I’m saying is this — the hamster wheel will always be there…but there may never be another chance to:

– sit and learn at Jesus’ feet

– talk to your neighbor about Jesus’ love and sacrifice.

– help a sick friend.

– teach your children the ways of Jesus while they are still young.

Despite all the distractions of this life…we too should be about our Father’s business (Luke 2:49).

The time is now, and we have to choose carefully how we use it — maybe we’ll never quite master doing “all the things.” But did we do the most important things? The things of God?

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Perhaps you’re like me and have come to realize that the never-ending pressures of this world are insurmountable, as well.

Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30)

When I read verses like this, I’m reminded that in a world that values “keeping up with the Jones’s” (or the Kardashians, for that matter) — keeping up with Jesus makes a whole lot more sense.

Jesus is the difference between “living the meme” and “living the dream” — for eternity.

Until next time…

-PWAP

Brady’s Back, Baby

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Over the last 24 hours, “Brady’s Back” has been the biggest sports headline in America.

It’s official, Tom Brady is not — I repeat not — done with football yet.

Lol — I’m not gonna lie, when I first read those words yesterday, the first thing I did was google snopes to get the 411. 😂

Those headlines just couldn’t be right — right???

Wasn’t it only a couple of months ago that he announced his retirement???

I’m not even a football fan, but I was intrigued by the headlines…

…and after confirming that it really is true that Tom Brady, the oldest guy in the NFL, is headed back for yet another season as quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, I went from intrigued…to inspired. ❤️

Now, I will admit that I usually hate it when people put professional athletes up on pedestals, showering them with undue adulation, but the reason I find him inspiring has less to do with his success than it has to do with his failure.

As the reigning Super Bowl champs, the bar was set high last year for Tom Brady and the Buccaneers to repeat their championship once more.

When the Bucs fell short of that goal in the playoffs, their season came to a screeching halt — and so did Tom Brady’s career.

Despite all of his previous successes, Brady’s final season had ended in disappointment and failure.

And when he announced his retirement, it felt like a fairytale football career that didn’t get the “happily ever after” it deserved.

Do you ever find yourself feeling like that in your own life sometimes?

Through disappointing seasons of your own life, have you had times where you just want to throw in the towel? Moments where you feel defeated and want to say, “That’s it, I give up.”

I do. At least twice a week.

Maybe I’m being melodramatic (ok, I’m definitely being melodramatic), but sometimes when I’m making my kids’ school lunches at night, I just stand there looking around my house at piles of toys and dirty laundry, hearing them wrestling each other and praying between thuds that they don’t break a bone, and I just stop mid PB&J and think, “So this is it? This is how it all ends???” 😂😂😂

Maybe that’s why when I heard that Tom Brady was coming back, it resonated with me so much. It reminded me of Proverbs 24:16: “For though a righteous man may fall seven times, he still gets up; but the wicked stumble in bad times.”

You too might be down for a moment, but the righteous don’t stay there forever. Dust yourself off and get back up again — every great comeback always starts with a first step.

If Tom Brady can do it — so can you.

Because honestly, if you’re a child of God, no matter what you’re facing, you can rise up again from it — whether it be sin, temptation to sin, trials and turmoil, or just every day day-to-day life.

How do I know you can rise? Because you’ve got something even better than Brady has — you’ve got Jesus.

Brady relies on his own strength and stamina to win the game. But as Christians, our strength comes from Jesus (Isaiah 40:31) who appeared to have been “defeated” in death, only to rise up to eternal victory. And through Him, the Bible says we are “more than conquerors.” (Romans 8:33-39)

And as Tom Brady enters this next season, possibly his last, he still has to wonder whether or not this one will end in victory or defeat.

As Christians, we don’t have to wonder. The victory has already been won for us through Jesus Christ.

“These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

So, don’t give up. Get up.

Stay on His team and make as many comebacks as you need to endure ‘til the end. We may fall, but we will rise back up again…and one day, it will be eternally.

Until next time…

-PWAP

This too shall pass…

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“This too shall pass”…nobody really quite knows where that famous colloquial phrase originated…but credit has been assigned to many different possible origins…including ancient Persian, Buddhist, and Jewish sources. It’s also one of those phrases that people even sometimes mistake for a Bible verse (right up there with “God works in mysterious ways”). But alas, it’s not.

While we may never know the exact origins of the phrase, consensus is that it’s been around for a while — and from what I hear, it was even one of Abraham Lincoln’s favorite sayings.

As I was driving to pick the kids up from school today, the phrase popped into my head.

I was just driving down a two-lane road minding my own business, going the speed limit (maybe even 5 over 🤭), when all of the sudden, a big Dodge pickup that was all jacked-up on monster truck tires came up behind me loud and fast in my rear-view mirror.

He quickly gained on me until he couldn’t gain anymore. Something about the way his headlights were blaring in my rear view mirror even at midday, made me feel like he was metaphorically breathing down my neck…pressuring me to go faster or move out of the way.

But I know that road. And I know the speed limit. And I also know there’s a state trooper who likes to create a speed trap for unsuspecting drivers a few times a month, so no way was I going to let this guy pressure me into speeding up.

After a minute or so, he finally got the gist, and swerved into to the left lane, putting the pedal to the metal and leaving me to eat his dust.

But honestly, I was glad he passed me — it was a relief.

As I watched him speed down the road until his taillights disappeared completely, the phrase “this too shall pass” came to mind.

When we’re traveling the road of life, minding the speed limit (and our own business), there’s often times the enemy comes up and presses in hard on us as we are trying to stay within God’s limits.

Just like one of those aggressive drivers, he’ll come in looking all big, bad and intimidating…trying to pressure us to violate God’s laws.

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.” – 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

The things of this earth are transient, fleeting, passing away — and that includes the temptations, persecutions, and other “light momentary afflictions” that the devil tries to bring about in our lives, provoking us with his own brand of “road rage.”

So…keep your eyes on the road. Keep those hands at 10 and 2— or better yet, let Jesus take the wheel — and just let the devil pass.

Because it will pass…it may pass like a kidney stone, but it will pass. 😉

Until next time…

-PWAP

The “Keep the Van Clean” Contract

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Well, here I am again…another weekday afternoon spent just waiting in the school car rider line. It’s a 30 minute drive here, and at least a 30 minute wait once I’m parked.

With gas prices at $4.00 per gallon right now, my wallet doesn’t like that very much…but that’s ok — I also do some of my best thinking during this quiet ride.

Sometimes my husband comes with. On those days, we do more talking than thinking.

And then there’s those times when my husband drives himself — and on those days, he’s got one thing and one thing only on his mind:

Beat 👏 The 👏 Odysseys. 😂

— The Honda Odysseys, to be exact.

I don’t know whether it’s his competitive spirit or just that he wants to be the first to nab the super shady parking spot on 90 degree days 🥵 — but let me tell you, that man is on a mission. 🤣

Part of me can understand why he’d want to upstage the Odysseys though.

I mean, they do give off a slightly condescending vibe 😒 — what with their automatic doors, fresh wax jobs, and…ALL THOSE Disney passholder decals. 🤭🙄🙄🙄🤣

I kid.

But they certainly are a far cry from our dusty Kia van…whose only embellishment is a “custom pinstripe” down one side, courtesy of the sand hill cranes in our neighborhood, who viciously attacked it with their beaks during last year’s mating season. 🤦‍♀️

And don’t even get me started on the interior, which right now straight up looks like an episode of hoarders.

Literally every time those van doors open, I’m silently praying that one of our McDonald’s wrappers doesn’t go flying out the door like that feather from Forrest Gump.

But honestly people, it wasn’t always like this.

Believe it or not, our van was once in mint condition…even had that “new car smell” for at least a month after we drove it off the lot.

Ahhh, I still remember signing those purchase agreement papers like it was yesterday. 🥰

Our oldest son, who was about six at the time, was with us that day…he was busy playing a game on the iPad while we haggled with the salesman.

And that’s when my husband came up with the brilliant idea to quietly pull the salesman aside and ask if he would draw up a little “contract” for our son to sign as well — a “Keep the Van Clean” contract. 🤣

Thankfully, the salesman was eager to play along. And the hilarity that ensued was almost too much to bear with a straight face…

My husband vacated the seat nearest to the sales desk and motioned for my son to take his place…without missing a beat, the salesman began to explain to my son that indeed he too had a part to play in this whole purchase process.

We watched and listened as the salesman in his most professional composure walked my son through all the details of the “Keep the Van Clean” contract…🤣

My son looked at me in disbelief…would the van really be repossessed if we didn’t keep it clean?!?! 😳😳😳😳😳😱🤯

I bit my lip to keep from bursting out in laughter and somehow managed to nod soberly — but then immediately looked away as tears of laughter began rolling down my cheeks. 😂

We still have a carbon copy of that “contract” tucked away in our glove box for safe-keeping. 🤣

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Fast forward to today and despite the best of intentions, we obviously did not in fact end up keeping the van clean. 😩

Don’t get me wrong, we do take it through the car wash every now and again…always vowing afterward to “never eat fast food in here again.” But it’s never long before we’ve messed things up once more.

Good thing our local car wash has an option for an unlimited pass — for a monthly fee, you can drive through the wash and use the vacuums as many times as you need.

And that’s when I got to thinking…when it comes down to it, we’re all just like those minivans. And no matter how nice looking our “van” is on the outside, we all get all messy on the inside sometimes.

And God knows that.

He knows we’re messy…he knows life is rough and we tend to go off road sometimes…and get a little mud on our tires…we get busy and instead of consuming the bread of life from his Word, we’re stopping at a drive thru and keeping the evidence in a pile on our floorboards.

He also knows that just like my dirty old van, we as sinners are in desperate need of washing too — in need of cleansing from all our sins.

So through the blood of Christ the Lamb, He offers unlimited washes to us, too.

And best yet, God’s wash is free. Praise God the price has already been paid for you and me through Jesus’ sacrifice. 🙏❤️🙏

There is one stipulation though…

Our local car wash is open from dawn to dusk — daylight hours only. As convenient as it would be sometimes to we can’t expect to run through the carwash after business hours (when it’s dark), it’s closed. The washers aren’t working.

And just as we can’t run our van through the carwash in the middle of the night, we also cannot expect God to cleanse us when we are willfully walking in darkness. (Hebrew 10:26-29; Romans 6:1)

We must continue to walk in the light in order to receive that continual forgiveness and cleansing — to receive the blessing and privilege of unlimited washes. (I John 1:5-10) That means, following the example and teachings of Jesus in out everyday lives.

The “Keep the Van Clean” contract is a lot like God’s law for us. We should aim to be holy as He is holy — to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. But alas, we are human and we fail — the car wash is His grace for us through Jesus.

Take advantage of that wonderful grace today by acknowledging Jesus as the Son of God and your Savior, repenting of your sins, and being baptized for the remission of your sins. It’s a limited time offer too good to pass up! ❤️

Until next time…

-PWAP

The Life of the Party

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It’s Saturday night — got any plans?

Not me…I’m not much of a partier. I’m just cooking dinner, doing laundry, and trying to talk my husband into watching a chick flick with me later tonight. 😂

Speaking of chick flicks…do you remember the movie Father of the Bride?

Unless you were living under a rock in the 1990’s, you probably do. It’s one of my favorites — the unofficial Father of all romantic comedies. 😉

In the film, Steve Martin stars as George Banks, your typical tight-waddish father-of-the-bride. His hilarious foil is Franck Eggelhoffer, an over-the-top flamboyant wedding planner played by Martin Short.

In one of my favorite scenes, these two polar opposites are going back and forth with each other (yet again) over the event budget. 🙄

Tired of George raining on his parade, Franck and his party-planning assistant Howard Weinstein proceed to break out in a catchy little tune:

🎶 “Every party has a pooper, that’s why we invited you, party pooper, party pooper…” 🎶

🥳💩😂😂😂😂😂💩🥳

I guess weddings tend to bring out the best and worst in people. They’re just stressful like that. 🤷‍♀️

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In John 2:1-11, we read about a time that Jesus went to a wedding party, too. You know, the one where He performed His first recorded miracle? Turning water into wine is quite the party trick, if you ask me! 🎉

I think that proves Jesus is definitely NOT a party pooper.

In fact, he’s quite the opposite…Jesus is the Life of the party — “The way, the truth, and the life,” to be exact. 😬😬😬😬 (John 14:6) 😉

And as followers of Christ, we should be, too.

On Saturday nights, some Christians forget that Christ is living in them — and they try to be the “life of the party” by the world’s standards — in what they wear, what they drink, what they say, where they go, and what they do, fearing that others may call them a party pooper if they don’t conform.

Christians are called to be different though. The Bible says we shouldn’t be conformed to the world (Romans 12:2), but transformed. We are to be in the world but not of the world, so-to-speak.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” (I Peter 2:9)

People may call you a party pooper…they may even sing you a little song about it 🤣…but if that’s the worst we face in persecution, we should count it all joy.

Whatever your weekend plans may be, remember who you are…remember that Christ lives in you and that we are meant to be so much more than just the life of the party…rather we are the Life of the party instead.

Until next time…

-PWAP

Forgive and Forget

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The other day, my six-year-old son came running to me from the playroom with a flushed face and big crocodile tears in his eyes.

Assuming he had been wrestling around with his big brother again, I braced myself for impact as I anxiously asked, “Buddy — what’s wrong?!??”

He buried his head in the arm of my chair as he broke down into full-on sobs. I stroked and patted his little back, waiting to hear what had happened.

Eventually, through his tears he got a few words out a a time: “Mom…I’m…so…sorry!!!”

“For what?!?” I said.

“Remember that time…I broke the…the…the pirate flashlight? I’m sorry!!!”

Despite his conviction, I honestly couldn’t remember the incident at all …but I knew what he was referring to because he’s told me this story before at random intervals. Always with tears in his eyes. 😔🥺 He’s my youngest and my most sensitive child.

The supposed transgression apparently happened a few years ago when we were living in our previous house. From what I’m told, I bought each of the boys a new toy, but because my younger son liked his older brother’s toy better, he immediately threw his own flashlight to the ground, causing it to break. He couldn’t have been more than 3 or 4 years old at the time.

I said, “Buddy, you were so small…you didn’t even know any better.”

He began to cry again.

“Yes, Mom…I did know that it was wrong — but I did it anyway.”

I hugged him tightly…it was obvious his heart was breaking and mine was breaking for him! I looked at his quivering lip and tear-stained cheeks, and said, “Buddy, don’t worry — I forgive you…I forgave you a long time ago for that…and I don’t even remember it anymore!”

The next morning, I got up and as I was brushing my teeth, a thought hit me. It’s not a new thought by any means, but it nonetheless hit me in a very new, very freeing way…

God forgives me.

There’s been so many days that I’ve come to God in prayer, still riddled with guilt and shame over past sins.

He doesn’t literally speak back to me in prayer, but through His Word the Bible, it’s as if God is saying: I forgive you…I forgave you for that a long time ago…and I don’t even remember it!

“For I will forgive their iniquities and will remember their sins no more.” – Hebrews 8:12

“The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in loving devotion. He will not always accuse us, nor harbor His anger forever. He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His loving devotion for those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” -Psalm 103: 8-13

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For in Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful man, as an offering for sin. He thus condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous standard of the law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” – Romans 8:1-4

But there is only one way to take part in the forgiveness of God — by becoming His child.

Just like my son came to me for forgiveness…if we are children of God, we can come to our Father in the same way, also!

Because “As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him.” -Psalm 103:13

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – 1 John 1:9.

If you are already a child of God and struggle with believing that God forgives you, I would suggest listening to a sermon called “Saved Without a Doubt” by Don Blackwell . All you have to do is click on the underlined words and it will take you straight to the video on YouTube. His message was a blessing to me and I hope will be to you as well.

Until next time…

-PWAP

50 Shades of White

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My parents are literally DAYS away from closing on their new home. There’s LOTS of last minute detail work going on to prepare for the final inspection.

To help speed things along, the other day my dad offered to help the painters do some touch-up work. So with a can of paint and a brush in hand, he went to work, dabbing away at any little nicks and smudges that needed retouching.

Ironically, most of the paint colors my parents chose for their house are all variations of the color white — Jasper White for the exterior, Origami White for the interior, and Pure White for all of the the baseboards and trim.

Now, if you haven’t been to the paint section at Lowe’s in a while, you’re probably scratching your head right now thinking “a white’s a white, isn’t it????”— and to that, all I can say is…bless your heart. 😂😂😂

Actually, there are SO many “different” whites to choose from nowadays…that after a while, it sort of makes your head spin. 😵‍💫

It’s like one minute you’re standing in a home improvement store looking through paint swatches and the next you’re suddenly sucked into a “white hole” of endless options.

And the longer you stare at the paint chips, the more they begin blurring together like the vast white sands of a New Mexico desert, until everything around you seems like nothing short of a distant mirage.

That is, until a sales associate wearing a blue vest taps you on the shoulder and says, “Ma’am, is there anything I can help you with?” 😂

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With sooooo many different whites to choose from, how DO you tell them apart?!?

The trouble is, when viewed individually, each white looks…well, white.

But according to today’s top designers, each shade of white has what they call an undertone.

An undertone is the hint of color that lurks just beneath the surface and ultimately affects your overall hue — causing it to look either cool, warm, or neutral. A cool undertone is generally associated with blues, pinks, or reds. A warm undertone is generally more peachy, golden, or yellow.

The trick to determining the undertone? Hold your swatch up to a “pure white.” Designers suggest using a plain white sheet of basic copy paper…and voila! The undertones jump right out.

This advice never rang truer than it did after my dad finally finished touching up those walls and texting pics of the progress to my mom…it was at that point we realized something had gone terribly wrong…😂.

Due to a mix up in paint lids, my dad (who is legally colorblind and can’t tell the difference between red and green let alone between two slightly different shades of white) had inadvertently been touching up the Origami White walls with PURE WHITE PAINT! 😱😂🥴😳😭🤯😵🤭

I think my mom was half tempted to flip her proverbial paint-lid over the whole debacle…but you know what they say…

…2 wrongs don’t make a WHITE. 😂😂😂🤭

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And that’s when I started thinking…

Just like all the various shades white out there, there are seemingly infinite shades of “truth” to choose from nowadays, too…and after a while, it all sort of makes your head spin. 😵‍💫

In our current culture, we’re led to believe that there is no such thing as absolute truth, but rather that truth is relative and that everyone has their own “personal truth,” if you will.

These “personal truths” seem to hold their own when held to nothing but their own standards; just as the white swatches all appear to be a true white when viewed individually.

But when held to a piece of copy paper, the difference is apparent. And in spiritual terms, that plain piece of white copy paper is none other than the Bible.

Next to the Truth of God’s Word, any man-made truths only pale in comparison. God’s Word alone is the true litmus test.

Why? Because the scriptures are from God Himself (II Timothy 3:16-17), and He alone is the most Pure (Psalm 12:6), the most Holy (I Samuel 2:2), the most High (Psalm 46:2), and the most Righteous (Psalm 119:142).

By our own standards, we may walk around looking like “good” people — but make no mistake, God is not colorblind. And when judged by His holiness, we ALLLLL have undertones.

“As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one;” – Romans 3:10

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” – Romans 3:23

Thankfully, God knows we have undertones, and He’s provided a way to cover those impurities with “…the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.” I Peter 1:19

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” -Isaiah 1:18

It is only when we are spiritually washed in the blood of Jesus through baptism that our souls — whether red, yellow, black, or “white” — can become as white as snow (Romans 6:3).

Praise God.

Until next time…

-PWAP

If the Shoe Fits, Wear It

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I went on a field trip today…a field trip with 100 screaming, jumping six-year-olds…to a place where they teach you how crayons are made. There was noise, there was stress, there was a free mediocre pizza lunch…and at the end of the day, I got out of my car and thought: “I did it, I survived.”

And then I looked down at my feet and realized…I’ve been wearing two different shoes all day.

😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳😳

I can’t. Believe. I did this. 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️

And it wasn’t even two different pairs of cute shoes at that. 🤣😩🤣 One shoe was a leopard-print casual style and the other was a ratty old gym shoe that I wear when I work in the yard. 🙄

Now before you think I’m completely nuts — there is a perfectly logical explanation for this.

You see, I bought the leopard shoes a few months ago because I thought they were they were cute. But after wearing them a couple of times, I realized that while they are comfortable to walk in, they are a pain to drive in…the heel does this funny thing that makes it very uncomfortable to wear while pressing the pedals.

Because it was going to be about an hour’s drive to the field trip location, my plan was to wear the ratty shoe on my right pedal foot while I was driving, and change into the other leopard shoe after we arrived.

On the way there, my son was riding with me and said he needed to make a bathroom stop. This put us a little behind schedule, but when nature calls, there’s not much you can do! When we finally arrived, the bus had already unloaded and everyone was waiting for us. Not wishing to cause the group any further delays, we quickly jumped out of the car and joined the rest of the class…unbeknownst to me, with two completely different shoes on. 😳🤣

You see — I thought I had it all planned out…I thought I could change at the last minute and no one would even know. But you know what happened? I got too comfortable…I put that old ratty shoe on and didn’t even notice the difference…all stinkin day.

I think that’s also the way it goes for us when we try to have “one foot in the world” and “one foot in the church” (pun intended 😉).

Maybe we have one group of people that we dress, talk, or act a certain way around…and another group that we would be ashamed to act that way around. We think we can change at the last minute, keeping our ratty shoe behind closed doors, and no one will ever know the difference.

But the problem with keeping up appearances is that they’re hard to keep up. And eventually, we get so comfortable in our ways that it becomes part of who we are…we can’t cover it up anymore. The Bible says evil companions corrupt good morals. (I Corinthians 15:33)

Those two shoes didn’t belong together. Just like we as Christians are told that we don’t belong being “yoked together” with people who are practicing the evil ways of this world. “Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?” (II Corinthians 6:14)

The good news is…my son never even noticed my shoes either (I guess the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree 🤣). The truth is, he was too busy having fun with his classmates to even care — on the car ride home, he told me it was the “best day ever.” ❤️

God also calls our hearts to be like those of little children (Matthew 18:3-4). A long time ago, a fashion faux pas like this would have ruined my whole day. But I think my kid was right on this one — Despite the stress, despite the noise, despite the pizza, and despite the shoes…I think this was one of my best days ever, too. ❤️

Until next time…

-PWAP