Shine Today

In my 53 years, I have not seen a time bring so much division-brother against brother, family against family, neighbor against neighbor. This is NOT how we are supposed to act toward one another. And why do we think bashing the political party we don't associate with is ok?? Or even worse, wishing bad on them and their families? Are you really telling me all your friends believe the same exact way you do? It saddens me the way people react when their party doesn't win or things don't go their way. How are republicans any better than democrats? How are democrats any better than republicans? Why is it ok for you to decide who gets to get married? Since when does everyone have to believe the same way? Why is it if I disagree with you or think a certain way, I'm "one of them"?  We were not created the same. We look different, act different, think different. BUT, there was a time we actually worked together! We stood for unity. We helped one another, agreed to disa

  Would you still like me if... I told you i support Trump? If I told you I support Biden? If I told you I stand behind BLM? If I told you I didn't? If I said I was gay? If I said I stand with the LGBTQ community? If I told you I didn't? Would you still like me if... I said I am pro-choice? Or if I said I was pro-life? If I said I am a Christian? Or if I said I am an atheist? Or Buddhist?  Would you still like me if...  You found out I was a bully? Or addicted to drugs? If I was extremely overweight, or underweight? If I said college is overrated? If I told you I had an affair?  Would you still like me if...  I believed in building the wall? Or believed the wall should never be built because people should be allowed to come to America the beautiful? Or if I said marriage should only be allowed between a man and a women? If I said marriage is for everyone? What if I told you I think we should stop welfare? Or that I've lived off it for the last 20+ years? Would you still lik

What's next? Will we all just go back to the way we did things before, back to normal? How can we, really. We have changed pretty much everything. And is "normal" even possible? Better yet, what IS normal?  Does this even sound worth going back to: The busy life? The fast pace? The disconnect? The longing for more time? No, no it doesn't sound worth it.  I hear so many people talking about getting back to normal. I get it, it's something we say. But, I looked up the definition to normal - conforming to a standard; usual, typical, or expected.  Then I looked up standard - general consent as a model or example. And then, conform - be similar in form or type; agree. I don't know about you, but I don't want to be normal in the first place! We weren't created to be normal! Didn't Dr. Seuss say "why be normal when you were born to stand out?" We can't afford to go back to normal. We've been given an opportunity to be better, all of us

Most of us have grown up hearing the ever famous saying, "sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me." And sadly, most of us are made fun of if we dare say how wrong this saying is. Well, make fun of me all you want, WORDS CAN HURT! There are all kinds of things that play a part in how words affect us. Think about this simple test: ever have someone tell you what a great job you did or how great your picture is? You felt something as soon as the words were spoken. So how can we think the opposite isn't true? Here's your other test: ever have someone say something negative to you? Add to that ANYTHING going on in your life and those negative words can "feed" your emotions in the wrong way. Last test: ever have someone insult you? I don't just mean calling you dummy, but really really really insult you: ugly, stupid, worthless, disgusting, looser, queer...and this doesn't even include all the words I choose not to type. Let

saturday i visited my mother in law for the last time, she died a few hours after i left. sunday i helped a friend with his brothers service. monday i attended a service for my bonus daughters step dad.  death. we cant avoid it. its going to happen. and there is no pause button. it doesnt matter how many deaths you have in a week or a lifetime, nothing really prepares you for it. but theres also something about life right in the middle of death. when i was driving to see my mother in law, i took a back road, scenic, along the river. i drove slower and i could hear the birds. and see butterflies. and the scenery. it was beautiful. any other time ive gone to visit, i take a regular road and drive the speed limit (ok, maybe a little over). and i miss most of what i listed above. its a shame to miss so much life. sunday morning i went for a walk, and it was beautiful, and quiet. the breeze in my face was chilly but so nice at the same time. and at my friends brothers service there was

Today we sang a song that was written out of a time of prayer over a young boy who ended up being healed. I found myself thinking that some people could be questioning why their storm hasn't changed. Some may be questioning their faith, that it must not be strong enough since healing hasn't come, or the storm hasn't passed. Because see, even though we speak of break through, even though some people are healed, even though some relationships are restored, healing doesn't always come the way we want; break through doesn't always happen they way we asked. Relationships aren't always fixed. Finances don't always improve. BUT, it is important to understand that NO MATTER WHAT, we sing praises to God because He is still good and He is still God. AND WHEN we choose to trust Him in the middle of the storm, we find joy, strength, a peace that surpasses all understanding, an unexplainable ability to keep moving forward, to keep singing praise, to keep trusting, to lov