Well, the first week of 2011 is over. As we look ahead, all of us need to understand that once time is spent, we can never get it back. There are no do-overs when it comes to the past. As such, let's make 2011 a year where we spend our time wisely. Lets make our lives count and make a difference in other people's lives. Don&'t make resolutions just because it's "the thing to do." Instead, let's make commitments because it's right and we are willing. Every year, people start out with great intentions, but as all of us have learned, great intentions don't get anything done. It's following through that gets things done. Let's commit to making a big difference for good in this world and watch, as our own world gets bigger in the process. The world of the generous gets larger and larger as the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. I hope everyone has a great 2011 as we make a difference in other people's lives.

Just a thought, God bless.

PSS

Welcome to 2011! It seems that just yesterday I was thinking about having to write "2010." Time is going by so fast! I hope you had a great Christmas. As we begin the New Year, I pray all of us become more heavenly-minded and turn our focus to spiritual things rather than being so earthly-minded and focusing on the here-and-now. The decisions we make would then be over how to put God first, serving, tithing, attending church more, and how to do more of His Word. As you sit back and ponder last year, lets also look forward and begin to make commitments and decisions for our lives, not just New Years' resolutions that will, for most of us, be broken within the first week. Let's put God first in our lives and commit to look to Him and really know Him, not just know about Him. This is the only way for our lives to change for the better. It's up to you and no one else to make the changes necessary to really enjoy the life God has blessed us with.

Just a thought, God bless.

PSS

It is that time of year again: Christmas. It should be all about acknowledging the birth of our Savior, Jesus, and to be thankful for our salvation. We should also meditate on how God will forgive mankind because of Jesus' sacrifice by coming to earth and dying on a cross. He was raised from the dead on the third day and whoever believes on Him will have eternal life. Only now, Christmas is more about family, presents, and food than it is about serving our Lord Jesus Christ. Those things aren't bad, but it's not what we are supposed to be celebrating. It should be about our thankfulness to God, and how to make our relationship with Him and church our highest priority. This year, I pray you have a Merry Christmas and that you remember we are celebrating the birth and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. Take a moment and look up Romans 10:9-13 and pray it out loud. Let Jesus know how thankful you are to Him for His sacrifice. Merry Christmas!

Just a thought, God bless.

PSS

For the last couple of weeks, I have been discussing disappointment and its effects and consequences. It robs us of our hopes, dreams and future plans. It causes some people to give up and quit. We must transition from an attitude of disappointment to one of gratitude. They both take effort, but one is good and helpful, and the other isn't. Gratitude is a feeling of thankful appreciation for favor or benefits received. We need to realize that life is a gift given to us to make a difference in this world. We should spend it wisely. In our world, people living a life of disappointment seem more and more prevalent than those of us who work to be thankful and stay thankful. We have to refuse the long-lasting effects of disappointment and realize it's our choice to stay there or move forward. This Christmas season, I pray we would all find something to be thankful for and concentrate on what we DO have rather than what we don't. Expectations founded on wrong principles and ideas are at the root of disappointment. Let's have an expectation of what God's Word actually says rather than the statements of the world.

Just a thought, God bless.

PSS

You and I cannot allow what we don't understand to change what we know to be true. Disappointment means: 1.) To fail to fulfill the expectations or wishes of; 2.) To defeat the fulfillment of hopes, plans, etc.; 3.) Thwart, frustrate, sadden, disillusion, or dishearten. Disappointment will cause you to question everything you believe in, including yourself. It is the thing that will lead to discouragement and self-doubt. If we strive to develop the right attitude when disappointment comes, (and believe me, it will come at some point) we will be able to grow through it. It can strengthen our faith and cause us to be more dependent in God's ability OR it will cause us to shrink back. When we accept the fact that we will encounter disappointment in our lives, we will never allow it to cripple us and become negative or critical. We will look at it and know it will pass. We can and will recover from it. Be on guard to disallow temporary setbacks to become a full-time setback.

Just a thought, God bless.

PSS