It's a Bad Day!

 by Lillian Humphries

Did you ever have one of those days? You know the kind, where you think maybe you shouldn’t have gotten out of bed. You spilled your coffee, the cat throw up a hairball, one of the kids left their lunch at home, you get to work and find out you have two different shoes on, and your boss / spouse is in a bad mood. It still isn’t even noon yet.

Yes we have all had them, and we will continue to have them. Life is hard, that’s a fact. How you deal with the everyday problems determine how hard your life will be. You can take these problems in stride and let them roll off your back or you can embrace them. Hold onto to those problems all day long; tell them to everyone who asks you how you are doing. Hour by hour during the day you will most likely be able to add more things that go wrong to your long list of woes. By the end of the evening you can’t wait to get to bed and pull the covers over your head and start over the next day.

I’m not making light of these bad days. They exist and are very real. Have you ever given thought as to why some days we can handle the everyday problems better than other days.

I believe in spiritual warfare. God is real and the devil is real. The Bible tells us so.

God knows when we are tired, exhausted and our guard is down, so does Satan. When we are at our weakest Satan will seek us out. He will throw every obstacle he can in front of us to see if we will break. Will we over react to some little thing that goes wrong and blow it out of proportion?

That is why God has told us in Ephesians 6:10-13

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

We must prepare ourselves for these troublesome times. Taking care of ourselves, getting enough sleep, eating well balanced meals and most of all being in constant contact with God’s word. When we are in “the word of God”, we feel stronger, more prepared for whatever comes our way. We need to put on the full armor of God to be ready to face the life that we live each day.

What are some of the ways you put on the armor of God?

Next week I’ll cover some of the ways we can prepare ourselves for the fight.

Memorial Day

by Lillian Humphries

Memorial Day is next Monday, May 25th, 2015. How will you celebrate? Gather with family and friends for a picnic/cookout? Go to the beach or the lake? What memories can you pull from your memory file about Memorial Day?

When I was working and raising my two daughters, Memorial Day was a paid day off of work. A day I could sleep in. A day I could maybe catch up on some things around the house or finish a project.

I knew the real meaning of this special day. I would always stop and teach my children why we had a Memorial Day and to honor the men and women, who gave their lives for us and then go on with my plans. Maybe include a parade later in the evening. Who doesn’t love a parade?

The older you get the more you think about things. I think about things a lot, maybe sometimes too much. That can be another blog sometime. J During this upcoming weekend and the celebrations, I ask you to take a few minutes and ponder some thoughts.

Nothing is free in life. We live in the land of the “free and the brave” What is the “cost” for American freedom”?

• American Revolution: 25,000 lives lost
• War of 1812: 15,000 lives lost
• Civil War: 750,000 lives lost
• World War I : 116,516 lives lost
• World War II : 405,399 lives lost
• Vietnam War: 58,209 lives lost
• War on Terror: 6,717 lives lost

Most likely there is not one of us who has not been touched by one or more of these lost lives. These numbers do not include those who were wounded physically or mentally by the search for our freedom.

There is one more statistic I would like us all to consider.

One life was given on the cross of Mt. Calvary. God’s only son, Jesus died for all of us. Jesus died so we could be free from “sin” and spend our life in eternity.

So this weekend during your festivities, remember those that gave their lives for our country, but also remember Jesus who gave His life so you can be free from sin.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.