Sally Sunshine

Sally Sunshine had a pretty normal life. Nothing too great and nothing too bad. She was happy with how things were going. Nothing much to worry about and not many fires to put out. She figured that she had a pretty good perspective on life and what she thought the future would hold for her.

The days and weeks that went by were filled with the normal things, work, marriage and an occasional night out on the town.

And so was the life of Sally Sunshine.

On Monday she got up excited for another day at work to get things done. She put on her Jesus shirt and got ready for work. This morning she was out of milk for her coffee. Oh well, she would grab a cup of coffee from 7-11 on her way to work this morning. All in all it was a great day even though she had to work a little later than usual.

On Tuesday, she was a little tired and stole a few more minutes of sleep before she crawled out of bed. She burned her toast for breakfast and still didn’t have any milk. She had forgotten that she had a dentist appointment later this afternoon. She may have to just cancel it – too much work to do. She put on her Jesus shirt and headed to work.

Wednesday was welcomed by a loud thunderstorm and sheets of pouring rain. Great, she thought, it will take me forever to get to work today. She hurriedly put on her Jesus shirt and rushed to get in her car – only to find that she had a flat tire. Terrific, this day just couldn’t get any worse. Her husband was out-of-town again so she called a neighbor to see if she could get some help. Luckily, she was able to get the tire fixed and off to work even though she was quite late. Today, maybe it was the weather, but she felt lonely and tired. All day she just felt miserable. She couldn’t put her finger on it but something was out of place.

Thursday was a terrible day for Sally Sunshine. Nothing seemed to go right. A client called very annoyed with something that wasn’t even her fault. Her boss blamed her too and told her so. She went home exhausted. When she got home she discovered that her dog was not feeling too well. He had thrown up all over the carpet. Her husband called and said that he would be late again and not to wait up. It seemed like he was never home anymore. She wondered what was going on. She wondered what was happening to her normal, happy life.

Friday couldn’t come fast enough. She was so glad it was almost the weekend. She put on her Jesus shirt once again. When she got to work her boss met her at the door. “We need to talk.” Sally went into her office and was horrified to hear that her position with the company may be cut. There was some financial difficulty and she may only have a matter of days left. She could go ahead and take the rest of the day off. They would call her soon and let her know if she would be able to come back. Sally was upset. How could things turn out like this? Nobody cares she thought. Where was this perfect, happy and peaceful life that was promised to her? Sally was sad. Some things are going to have to change. She even thought that she might change her name.

Sally Sunshine went home. When she walked in the door she saw her dog on the floor. He was dead.

Sally slowly took off her Jesus shirt and threw it in the trash. It just wasn’t working. There was no way that he would let this stuff happen to her. She didn’t believe he loved her anymore. She was angry. It just wasn’t fair.

Poor Sally. She was not identifying with Jesus. She didn’t know that Jesus came not to give her a better life but to save her from the wrath to come. To save her from hell.

She was only putting him on hoping for a better life…when he didn’t work for her…she just threw him away.

Poor

poor

Sally.

Riches profit not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivers from death. (Proverbs 11:4)

Did You Get My Email?

I sense it a lot these days.

“Hey, girl I never hear from you.”

This is somebody’s nice way of saying, “Hey, you idiot pick up the phone and give me a call!” And, it’s ok because…..well they are probably right.

I swallow my pride and bite my tongue and don’t say, “And I don’t hear from you either,” because I know that it wouldn’t be true. Not entirely.

My blessing of a friend Michelle and I were discussing this subject the other day. With tears in our eyes we both acknowledged that we always think about calling….but we just didn’t. Because we had so much catching up to do that we would be on the phone all day. Not that I wouldn’t want to stay on the phone all day with my precious friend. But we know that wouldn’t be wise. We’d be stealing employers time, time with our kids or husbands, or plain unwinding time.

So what is my defense….hear me out. Truth be told I can be lazy. But I also know that my intentions are heartfelt and not out of sheer laziness. Why? Well, for me it’s because I’m a writer of sorts and admittedly not the best one but I try. Does it count that I can sit and write you a carefully thought out 30 minute email vs. a 5 minute phone call? It’s like a personal, hand-written letter sent by a super fast horse and carriage. This is one reason I started this blog…a futile attempt at keeping my family and friends up-to-date and involved. Even so, this small attempt at a hand pecked conversation has not developed into what I imagined in that regard at all. But still I’ve learned a lot about myself in the process.

Is there some sort of unspoken taboo about emails that I don’t know about?

Yes, I love technology. I can sit and write something with screaming kids in the background and no one is the wiser…can’t do that on a telephone. It sometimes can be easier to sit and really think about what I want to say before I open my big mouth and say something dumb and destructive. And, man have I done that! I should alertly bridle my tongue. Sometimes I just need to be quiet.

He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity (Proverbs 21:23).

The tongue is powerful.

It can hurt.

It can cause pain.

It can destroy.

But it can also bring truth.

Truth can sometimes hurt.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love (Proverbs 27:5). He who rebukes a man will in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue (Proverbs 28:23). A man who remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed - without remedy (Proverbs 29:1). So watch yourselves. "If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3). Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage - with great patience and careful instruction (2 Timothy 4:2).

Sometimes truth is not what I want to read or hear. Sometimes I just don’t want to believe what I read or hear. Sometimes, most times, that is wise.

But it’s not about whether or not I believe it…..it’s if whether or not it is true.

The Bible is truth. Some chose not to believe it. Some pick and chose what parts of it they want to believe. A few have rewritten it to suit themselves. But it doesn’t change the real truth. It is still a guide book. A spoken and written instruction book. The true and untarnished penmanship of God. It’s God’s phone call…his personal email…to us. Will we answer it? Will we delete the words of our Lord and Savior? Will we love His commandments or will we chose to destroy the message with unfruitful lip service?

Don’t get me wrong….I am not watering down the importance of personal, human contact and delightful conversation. I love it and need it. Most of the time there is no excuse not to have a face-to-face talk. The clicking of computer keys can not replace the sound of a friend from far or near. The gentle tone of a concerned or well-wishing friend is hard to get across in written text. I would much rather spend an hour at lunch with a friend than just sending emails back and forth for eternity. But sometimes something worth being said is just as good written as it is spoken. After all, it is still me doing the “talking”!

I wonder where we would be if we didn’t have the written word of the Bible to guide us. What if our eyes and ears had never seen or heard the carefully drafted personal letters written by men who were inspired by God. We’d be blubbering fools…making it up as we went along…drafting our own rules and dictating how we think it should be done. Sadly, some live like this…no written guide…no written law upon their hearts…choosing to toss aside the instructions and go at it themselves.

And I’ve unwisely been there.

So where is the line drawn…the perfect balance between the written and the spoken. I believe there is one. Know that I write with love to all who reads…deliberately constructed with affection and care.

So, don’t forget to check your email (or this blog!).

Happy Birthday Parker!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PARKER!

Wow, Parker is 4-years-old today!

Hard to believe he is growing so fast (yet is just recently fitting into size 3 pants!).

My little spook boy is loving life right now. He is enjoying preschool at our church two days a week and is really doing well. He also is in AWANA this year and it is so great to hear his sweet little voice say his verses.

As most boys, he's really into getting dirty, playing with his cars and torturing the cat (poor Nutmeg!)

Here's a few pictures of his 4th birthday party this past weekend at Chuck E Cheese:










Happy Birthday Boo Baby! I Love You!

Hooray, Those Aggies!

Trey and I went to Nebraska for the Texas A&M game with our great friends Heather and Donovan Wattier. They are from Nebraska and we thank them for their wonderful hospitality, spirit and friendship!


We love Nebraska! The fans are great and they let us bust a few of their tailgate parties! Trey's company headquarters is actually located in Omaha so he has been a few times but this was my first time there. The weather couldn't have been more perfect....in fact, it was guite hot on game day.

Luckily, the Aggies won...their first time there in 52 years! However, I would have much rather beat Texas Tech than Nebraska!

Here's a few pictures of our weekend:






Thanks for the great time and for letting us stay with your family!

We love you guys!

Oh, Those Aggies!

Here's a few pictures of the A&M/Tech game this year. This was Beth's first time at a football game and she had a great time!

Even though the Aggies lost....A&M 7 Texas Tech 35.

Sigh. Luckily, I wasn't there. I was back home enjoying the Spa!

Beth is with her Dad and his brother Chris and Shannon and our nephews Tyler and Addison.

Can You Handle the Truth?

Dear Friends --

If I had asked you two years ago if I had died would I have gone to heaven or hell what would you have said? How about one year ago? More than likely you would have said without a doubt I would have gone to heaven. You would have thought there is no way that me a good person who doesn’t say bad words or drink and goes to church would have gone anywhere else. How would you know for sure?

How much would it have mattered to you really?

Would it alarm you if I told you that without a doubt for a time I was not living for the Lord with all my heart? The fact is I am not a good person. “God looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. Everyone has turned away, they have together become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (Psalm 53:2-3).

I was not living the born again life that is required to receive the kingdom of God (John 3:3). I was not consistently repenting of my sins and believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who gave me life. I was floating along with good intentions but not really following Him. I was lying, I was putting other things before the Lord, I was an adulterer at heart, and I wasn’t keeping the Sabbath holy. Most of all, I wasn’t fighting to keep these things that the Lord commands we must if we love Him out of my life.

To inherit everlasting life you must fully surrender to the Lord. “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62) You might think wow that’s great for you….but I’m fine. How do you know you are fine? That’s what I thought too. You might say, “I know in my heart that everything is okay.” How can you trust your heart when the Lord says the heart is deceitfully wicked? Do you think you are a good person? Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever taken God’s name in vain? Have you looked with lust at another person? Is the Lord the most important thing in your life? Have you kept the Sabbath holy? The Bible says all liars will have their part in the lake of fire and that all fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, drunkards, thieves, greedy, slanderers and swindlers will not inherit the kingdom of God.

How much does it matter to you? Your eternal salvation and mine matters to me. I care about it greatly and know that it is my duty out of love and concern to speak the truth. Our Lord and Savior cares even more. He wants you to love Him. He wants you with Him for eternity. This is why He died a bloody death on the cross to forgive us of our sins. He forgives anything we have done no matter how large or small. Our choice is whether we are we going to turn away from sin completely and not look back and to put our trust in the Lord. That is the difference between life and death.

Would you sell one of your eyes for a million dollars? I wouldn’t. My sight is precious to me. How much more important then is your soul that looks out of those eyes? Today is the day of true repentance. Today is the day of salvation.

See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven? (Hebrews 12:25)

Have you turned your life over to Him with the full knowledge that you are going to heaven when you die?

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23)

Repent. Trust and believe.

Need help regarding true Christianity? Read the book of 1 John in the Bible. Also, if you need some help on where to start with repentance read and pray Psalm 51.



I love and care for each one of you. To Him be the glory.

At the Cross

By: Hillsong United