It’s Sunday! I hope you are warming up your coffee and relaxing a bit before you head to church or listen online.
Today, I’m thinking about acceptance.
Acceptance of:
Where you are at
What your body can do
Your job/career
Your kids’ lives and decisions
Medical diagnosis
Your ignorance
The economy
Being at home instead of traveling
A death (loved one or a pet)
Everything wears out
Each and every day as it comes
Most of us like to be in control. Yet, most of our lives’ circumstances are out of our control. Learning to accept that although you can’t control it, God does will bring you peace.
It’s so good to be back in BSF, back in God’s Word, and learning about the early church. So far, we’ve seen Pentacost, the advent of the Holy Spirit upon us and in us, and Peter stepping up his game. Coming up, Stephen and Saul/Paul.
The theme of this coffee chat is time. Time is limited for all of us, and as you get older, it only seems to go faster and more compact. What you do with your time is so important to God, whether you think of it as such or not. Ask yourself these questions:
How do you spend your free time?
Do you help others enough?
Do you spend your time watching TV instead of in God’s Word?
Do you spend enough time with your family?
Do you take the time to really listen to a friend in need?
Do you take the time to listen to God?
Are you having trouble finding time to complete BSF’s lessons? If so, what can you do about it?
I encourage you all to pray about how you use your time and how better you could be using your time. You only have so much time to complete God’s purpose for you here on earth. Don’t miss your chance.
On that note, as you all know, I’m a writer. If led, I’d encourage you to donate on my sidebar or HERE
It helps me continue to run this site, which does have some costs involved, as well as put in my hours of research for you all!
If you’re not led, no worries. If you are, I thank you in advance.
You all are what makes this site amazing and keep me coming back. I love each and every one of you and pray for you weekly. Please leave comments as you can or feel free to email me. I try to answer in a few days, but my weeks are pretty hectic (I’m praying about my use of time, too)!
It’s the last Sunday of the month, and today the power of being is on my heart.
LIVING IN THE PRESENT MOMENT
Life is taken up with so much busyness that we can lose ourselves, lose our way, and lose our family. Today, I just want to encourage you to put away your screens for a while, and reconnect with the present moment. Spend some time just being, existing, walking in nature, smelling the flowers, watching the grass grow, listening to the birds sing, and being with family.
That’s what life is all about — not how many friends you have on social media.
It’s the last Sunday of the month, and today the preciousness of life is on my heart.
Recently, just two doors down, a neighbor feel into cardiac arrest and died on his front stoop. Rescuers worked for almost an hour to resuscitate him to no avail.
THE PRECIOUSNESS OF LIFE
It made me realize just how precious life is, how quickly it can be taken away, and how much you need to love your loved ones because you never know when it will be your turn to return home.
We all know there is a better place, but it’s so hard for us since all we know is this side of heaven on Earth. Furthermore, none of us want to leave our loved ones behind.
Life is so precious; we need to hold it tight.
All of my animals are aging. My Dane had to go to the vet a couple of weeks back (luckily, it wasn’t cancer).
We know death is inevitable, but that doesn’t make it any easier to handle.
So today, love on your loved ones. Tell them you love them. Give them hugs and kisses. Appreciate life while it’s here.
It’s the last Sunday of the month, and today perfection is on my heart.
The reason for this is two-fold:
I am struggling with my weight. I’ve gained 10 pounds, and I don’t like the way I look. I eat right. I’m exceedingly healthy. I have no health problems. I still look good, but not in my own eyes. I’m working with a nutritionist, and I still am not happy. I see no change, and I’m getting very frustrated with it all.
Proverbs 31. I just finished reading Proverbs 31 (which is Lesson 25, Day 5 for those of you wondering). This is the passage of The Wife of Noble Character in the Bible. I feel like I am most of those things, but I definitely fall short on some of them most days. I could definitely fear the Lord more, be more generous, and be more instructive with my tongue.
The definition of perfect is without defect. However, when I Googled, this is what I got: “having all the required or desirable elements, qualities, or characteristics; as good as it is possible to be.”
“As good as it is possible to be.” I think this is what we need to keep in mind when we strive for perfection.
Is it wrong to strive for perfection? Let’s put this another way: Is it wrong to strive to be like Jesus?
In our hearts, we all want to be perfect. Why? Why is this human desire there? Because Jesus was perfect and in the hearts of all people (whether they are a believer or not) is this desire to be perfect, to be like Jesus.
Should you strive to be perfect? Should you strive to be like Jesus? Duh, of course you should strive to be like Jesus. And Jesus was perfect.
Hence, I will keep up the battle. Because I don’t like to fail. And I don’t like to be defeated.
Food for me is a daily battle, and there are days when I feel like giving up. Let’s be honest: every day I feel like giving up.
Being like Jesus is a daily battle. Because most of the time I’m selfish and dislike doing things for other people, especially people I don’t know. It’s a daily battle to see with the eyes of God and give with the hands of Jesus.
Will I ever look perfect? No.
Will I ever be perfect like Jesus? No.
But I can be as good as it is possible to be. And that’s my new goal. What about you?
One of my favorite gifts from God is coffee. Another one of my favorite gifts from God is you!
Coffee and God: Last Sunday of the Month Coffee Chat
Last month, I began a series for the last Sunday of the month where we can just bear whatever is on our hearts. You can post today about anything. It doesn’t have to be about God. You can vent, tell stories, and take a coffee break. Say what you would if you were having coffee with your best friend (or me!). This is your place to just be.
My Coffee and God Thoughts of the Month
The last few months I’ve been struggling with my weight and hormones. I just want to be healthy and feel good.
I’m praying for my kids as they all go back to school. That they settle back in and do well in their studies.
I’m praying my body holds up to what I put it through every day.
I’m praying for more sleep. I currently average only 5-6 hours, and I need more.
I’m praying I can maintain all the demands on me: my jobs, my kids, my spouse, and all the other roles I fulfill. I’m praying for strength and energy mostly.
I’m praying I can figure out my diet as I age and as my hormones do whatever they feel like doing each month.
I pray for all of my animals (one of my kitties is in kidney failure and is dying), so hoping her last days with us are full of love, happiness, and are pain-free.
Finally, the world is on my mind. I pray in general for people everywhere, other nations, etc.
I hope you enjoyed my thoughts. I’d love to hear yours so share away! Follow me on Pinterest if you’re so inclined.
One final thought: remember your blessings and be grateful for what you have. Remember you don’t deserve any of it. Remember what you do deserve, and your day will be brighter!
As I’m sitting here brainstorming ideas for this blog, my coffee is steaming. Its delectable aroma and satisfying smoothness soothe me like little else in this world.
Like everything in this world, coffee is a gift from God. He wants us to be happy and what else gives us such daily pleasure as coffee?
Coffee and God: Last Sunday of the Month Coffee Chat
Most of this blog is all business: God’s business. We chat about Bible Study Fellowship’s studies and questions. We pray for one another here. We come here for help with our BSF questions as we seek God’s answers. We may even come here for poetry and inspirational quotes and the occasional book recommendation.
Starting today, I want to “lessen our load” a bit by providing a forum for idle chit-chat. The last Sunday of the month I’ll post what’s happening in my mind and you can post what’s happening in yours. About anything. It doesn’t have to be about God or spiritual attributes. This can be where you vent or share an inspirational story from the month or just take a “coffee break” and relax and read what others are thinking. This is your place to just be.
My Coffee and God Thoughts of the Month
Today has been dominated with thoughts of this blog as I am anxiously awaiting the start of BSF’s study of the People of the Promised Land Part 1. I created a Pinterest account and a page specifically for Bible Study Fellowship’s People of the Promised Land Part 1 study. I am brainstorming lots of ideas to make this site easier to navigate.
I want to add more links in the sidebar to helpful resources for you during the upcoming study by BSF.
I’m brainstorming post ideas before the study so we can all jump in running when Bible Study Fellowship finally begins again in the Fall.
Other Random Thoughts Running Through my Brain…
I’m enjoying the lessening of the sunlight and the darker mornings.
I’m looking forward to the massage I have scheduled later today.
I’m petting one of my kitties!
I’m praying this week is God’s.
I hope you enjoy this inaugural edition of Coffee and God and add your thoughts as you’re sitting with God over coffee on this amazing Sunday morning, enjoying his blessings and gifts in our lives that we so very often overlook.
