Her mother died when she was just a young child. Because her mother and mine were sisters, she was a first cousin. The family next door to us adopted her. In spite of the fact that they had the same last name as we did, we were not related. As an eight-year-old, I couldn’t comprehend why she now had our last name, but was no longer a cousin. Did you follow that? Life can be very confusing at times.

As Christians, people who are not related to us become our brothers and sisters.

John 1:12

But to all who did receive Him, who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God, 

Matthew 12:48-50

But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”

Different family – new relatives, hmm. Give it some thought.

Gary

What is the magnetism out there that draws you from the light? What clown are you following at this carnival? Why are you doing a highwire act without a net? Consider the questions and then read Luke 14:15-22.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18 

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.

Give it some thought.

Gary

It just seems like every day I had to stand before the third-grade teacher’s desk and get whacked on the hand by her rulers. When she wasn’t pulling me by the ears, she was whacking me on the hand. God bless her, she was only doing what should have been done at home. The brat was inexperienced when it came to discipline. She’s gone now and I’m sorry I never got to tell her that I’m thankful her concern was to keep me in line. It made me a better person.

Hebrews 12:11 

For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Proverbs 12:1 

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

I still get whacked once in a while, but not by a ruler. Give it some thought.

Gary

“The Ballad of Lucy Jordan,” is about a housewife who is so bored, she jumps off the roof. Life was a disappointment because she was thirty-seven and her youthful dreams had not been fulfilled. Life as God designed it was not enough and she thought she had a way out from the rooftop.

Unfortunately for this kind of individual, God’s purpose and plan mean nothing. However, He put us here and we are not God. Whenever these truths are neglected, it always ends tragically.

Hebrews 2:3 

How shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,

Give it some consideration.

Gary

I’ve crossed paths with more people with too much self-esteem than with people lacking in self-esteem. I am not familiar with the medication that can help the latter, but I know God’s Word that can help the former.

Romans 12:3

For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith.

Philippians 2:3

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.

When you look in the mirror and see someone who can always do it better than anybody else, you might be guilty of too much self-esteem.   Give it some thought and stay away from self-pride.

Gary

With seven decades behind me, I sometimes find myself looking back over the miles I’ve traveled.  Indeed, I encountered laughter, sadness, joy grief, love, coldness, creativity, regret in those years. It is worth the trip, but I wouldn’t want to do it over again. I’m longing for a place where all the bad stuff is removed. Thank God, He found me and gave me a hope.

Isaiah 65:25 

The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent’s food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all My holy mountain,” says the Lord.

Hebrews 10:23 

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

Don’t quit. The trip ends just over the rise. Give it some consideration.

Gary

I have a replica of the battle ship the Bismarck on a shelf.  My grandson made this for me on a 3D printer because the ship fascinated me. The ship was built in 1939 at a cost in today’s dollars of 2.5 billion. It only saw eight days of action and was taken down by the British. So much for the 2.5 billion dollars!

It reminds me of the monetary waste of the cults. They fight a war they cannot win.

Matthew 23:15 

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.

1 John 4:1 

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

Give it some thought because every false way will sink someday, for the Lord wins.

Gary