Kobe Bryant

Happy Sunday!

Ecclesiastes 7:2 says, "You learn more at a funeral than at a feast—After all, that’s where we’ll end up. We might discover something from it."(Message).

I can't say I'm a Kobe Bryant fan, I've never really been into sports even when I played basketball at East Saint Louis Senior High School.  I only did that because my mother wanted me to, and the coach wanted to take advantage of a tall girl playing center.  "Just keep your hands up!", he'd say.  I can identify major players in most sports and any that have had run-ins with the law since the media will be sure to identify them for you.

But it shocked me today to hear of this tragedy because I'd just been listening to Dr. Caroline Leaf's podcast.  Her guest was Jordan Harbinger.  Jordan is an American radio personality, podcaster, voice actor, journalist, lawyer and businessman.  He and Dr. Leaf discussed "Decoding the Mindsets of Most Successful People".  They talked at length about his interview with Kobe Bryant.  What are the chances that I would hear this podcast this week?  I know that like the scripture above, there is something to be learned from all this.

What did I learn?  So glad you asked!  Successful people are not afraid to think.  Successful people are not afraid to change.  Successful people are not afraid of hard work.

Life can be hard.  We are bombarded with situations, and problems.  After solving so many problems daily, we just want to rest and not think. I work in the Customer Service field.  I just want to come home, get comfortable and watch a sappy feel good movie or a renovation show.  Not to say successful people don't have downtime, but successful people are not going to be tripped up by immediate gratification.  Proverbs 6:10-11 says, "You say, “I need a rest. I think I’ll take a short nap.” But then you sleep and sleep and become poorer and poorer. Soon you will have nothing. It will be as if a thief came and stole everything you owned."(Easy-to-Read Version).  OUCH!

Proverbs 26:11 says, "Like a dog that returns to its vomit, a fool does the same foolish things again and again."(Easy-to-Read Version).  Successful people are not afraid to admit if something is not working and needs to be changed, modified, or thrown out.  Doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome has been defined as insanity.

Colossians 3:23 says, "And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;"(KJV).  Don't miss this!  Whatever you do, do your best as if you are doing it for God!  You should be the best worker on the job, and in your business.  Not only are you representing your Lord and Saviour, you are representing you personal "Brand".  Millions of people are already singing the praises of Kobe Bryant.  What will be said of you?  Or me?  Will they say we were a breath of fresh air and a joy to be around?  Or will they say we were lazy, shiftless, and good for nothing.  Selah.

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Everything

Happy Sunday!

John 10:10 says, "A thief comes to steal, kill, and destroy. But I came so that my sheep will have life and so that they will have EVERYTHING they need."(GOD’S WORD Translation).

2 Corinthians 9:8 says, "God is able to make it up to you by giving you EVERYTHING you need and more so that there will not only be enough for your own needs but plenty left over to give joyfully to others."(Living Bible).

Philippians 4:19 says, "You can be sure that God will take care of EVERYTHING you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus."(Message).

There definitely is a theme here.  EVERYTHING we could ever need has been provided by our Heavenly Father.  Not just to satisfy our needs but to assist with the needs of others.

It's very cold in Chicago this week. Some of the homeless people move to the "L" and the subways for warmth. The Red Line and the Blue Line, that goes to O'Hare International Airport, run 24/7. The smells can be overwhelming and overpowering. There are bodies that haven't been bathed and clothes that haven't been washed in long periods of time. What can you do? Sure, if and when possible, you can choose another method or mode of transportation. But are you familiar with the traffic in Chicago? Using the trains and buses can preserve your sanity. While thousands fight traffic in their cars, I'm reading a book, or listening to preaching or music on the train.

It is a reminder that there are less fortunate people in our communities. It reminds us just how blessed we are. When I'm washing several loads of clothes, and placing them in our closets and drawers, I am so thankful that God has provided for us. When I enjoy a long hot shower, or a soothing soak in the bath, I'm so appreciative. When I commute to work, I am grateful that I have a job to go to, and it's a good job with excellent benefits. When I go to church, the grocery store, or the movies, I understand that for some this is only a dream.

I am a tither and a giver. I believe as the Word says, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again."(Luke 6:38, KJV). I give to ministries that are working with the homeless and less fortunate. I listen to the Holy Spirit, but most times I'm not pulling out money for every beggar on the street. Wisdom is key in any city, especially a bustling city like Chicago.

Ok, I feel like I've been rambling. God has supplied EVERYTHING I need and I'm so glad. Remember the old song, "He woke me up this morning and I'm glad! I'm glad about it! I'm so glad to be here!"

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Seasons

Happy Sunday, on Monday!

I awoke at 2:24 am today and realized I forgot to write and share a Happy Sunday for January 12, 2020.  I worked overtime on my off day yesterday. I'm working on that resolution to be debt free.  Arriving home sometime after 10:30 pm, taking my vitamins and supplements, drinking a tall glass of water, talking to my daughter Christina for a bit, and setting my alarm for my 5:00 am Spin Class, I watched a few YouTube episodes of "Living Big in A Tiny Home" and fell asleep.

Now I'm fully awake. I can't go back to sleep.  I worried about my readers, then thought, "How many do I really have anyway? Will anyone miss Happy Sunday?  Or do they just file them in a folder to possibly read later, or do they feel like its somehow sacrilegious to just delete them?"  Anyway, I do have some very important people that I know are reading regularly, and they let me know they are out there.  I appreciate you so very much.  Thanks for encouraging me over the years!  I apologize for this late edition.

On my way to work I caught a good portion of  8 am message by Dr. Matthew L. Stevenson III.  He shed beautiful light on Ecclesiastes 3.  It amazes me how fresh the Word of God is.  There is always some new insight to be gained.  You know this chapter well.  It reminds us that there is a time for everything, whether we like it or not.  It's important to understand the time or season we are in personally.  Spiritually, financially, emotionally, and physically there are seasons.
We are not all in the same season at the same time.  Know your season.  The farmer doesn't go out into the snow looking for the harvest.  He understands winter is the time for the earth to rest, but spring will come and it will be time to plant again in anticipation of growth and then harvest. Know your season. Selah.

The fresh perspectives on this scripture passage made me think of the poem by James Weldon Johnson, "Lift Every Voice and Sing".
One stanza says, "God of our weary years,
God of our silent tears,
Thou who has brought us thus far on the way;
Thou who has by Thy might Led us into the light,
Keep us forever in the path, we pray.
Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee,
Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;".

That's the part right there!  "Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;"  We've seen and heard these scriptures so much but do we still value them as the Word of God?  Do we understand that these words are spirit and life?(John 6:63).  The Bible is not just a book!  It's a life manual that is tried, true, and tested.  Don't forget!

Love and prayers, Cynthia

Trustworthy

Happy Sunday!

It's the first few days of the new year, and the new decade.  Already we have seen and heard things that can make us sad, and anxious.  In times like these, it pays to go back to the Word of God.

Philippians 4:4-9 says, "Most of all, friends, always rejoice in the Lord! I never tire of saying it: Rejoice! Keep your gentle nature so that all people will know what it looks like to walk in His footsteps. The Lord is ever present with us. Don’t be anxious about things; instead, pray. Pray about everything. He longs to hear your requests, so talk to God about your needs and be thankful for what has come. And know that the peace of God (a peace that is beyond any and all of our human understanding) will stand watch over your hearts and minds in Jesus, the Anointed One. Finally, brothers and sisters, fill your minds with beauty and truth. Meditate on whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is good, whatever is virtuous and praiseworthy. Keep to the script: whatever you learned and received and heard and saw in me—do it—and the God of peace will walk with you."(Voice).

The Apostle Paul knew from experience how to make it through trying times.  He wrote to the Corinthian church about what he endured.  2 Corinthians 11:23-27 says, "They say they serve Christ?
But I have served him far more! (Have I gone mad to boast like this?)
I have worked harder, been put in jail more often,
been whipped times without number,
and faced death again and again and again.
Five different times the Jews gave me their terrible thirty-nine lashes.
Three times I was beaten with rods.
Once I was stoned.
Three times I was shipwrecked.
Once I was in the open sea all night and the whole next day.
I have traveled many weary miles and
have been often in great danger from flooded rivers
and from robbers and from my own people, the Jews,
as well as from the hands of the Gentiles.
I have faced grave dangers from mobs in the cities
and from death in the deserts and in the stormy seas
and from men who claim to be brothers in Christ but are not.
I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights.
Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food;
often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm."(Living Bible).

Don't miss this!  The same man that went through all these trials is the same man encouraging us that we can still find reasons to rejoice.  He knew it is possible to "fill your minds with beauty and truth".  We can make up our minds to trust God no matter what we see or hear.  Psalm 37:40 echoes this same sentiment, "And the Lord shall help them, and deliver them: he shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they TRUST in him."(KJV).

Love and prayers, Cynthia