Tag: Wisdom

God, Hope, Religion and Spirituality, Spirituality

The Wisdom in Avoiding Extremes

I admit it. I struggle with extremes. It’s that alll or nothing mentality. You either love me or you hate me. I’m a hopeless sinner or a forgiven saint. It’s all flesh, I know. But I struggle. Sometimes my emotions get the best of me. I act before I think. I jump in with both feet first with no consideration of the consequences. Sometimes that works, and other times I find myself drowning.

I don’t want to be reckless, or a wandering gypsy my whole life. I look back and I am amazed I am still here. I know there is a God – I am still breathing! I’m amazed at all that the Lord has brought me out of – depression, despair, violence, etc. My whole life has been covered with His mercy and grace. Every time I fell, He gently picked me up and led me out of the desert. He led me beside quiet waters. Now what do I do, lol? God give me wisdom.

What about you?

God’s Word for You:

Ecclesiastes 7:16-20 Do not be excessively righteous like those given to self-conceit, and do not be overly wise pretentious—why should you bring yourself to ruin? Do not be excessively or willfully wicked and do not be a fool. Why should you die before your time? It is good that you take hold of one thing righteousness and also not let go of the other wisdom; for the one who fears and worships God with awe-filled reverence will come forth with both of them. Wisdom strengthens the wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city. Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who always does good and who never sins.


Proverbs 4:5-9 “Get skillful and godly wisdom! Acquire understanding actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. “Do not turn away from her Wisdom and she will guard and protect you; Love her, and she will watch over you. “The beginning of wisdom is: Get skillful and godly wisdom it is preeminent! And with all your acquiring, get understanding actively seek spiritual discernment, mature comprehension, and logical interpretation. “Prize wisdom and exalt her, and she will exalt you; She will honor you if you embrace her. “She will place on your head a garland of grace; She will present you with a crown of beauty and glory.”

James 1:5-6 If any of you lacks wisdom to guide him through a decision or circumstance, he is to ask of our benevolent God, who gives to everyone generously and without rebuke or blame, and it will be given to him. But he must ask for wisdom in faith, without doubting God’s willingness to help, for the one who doubts is like a billowing surge of the sea that is blown about and tossed by the wind. 

My Prayer for You:

Dear Lord,

Help us with this wisdom stuff. Let us not be thrown about with the waves of our emotions. Feelings are so fickle Lord. Give us discernment to run every thought through your Word to see if it is true or not. Help us to reject the words that are not true and hold on to the promises You have given us. Lord, give us wisdom about the right way to go. Help us to stop and think. Help us to stop and wait for You to lead, in Jesus Name.


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behavior, Hope, humor, Quotes, Spirituality, Women

When You Have to Eat Your Words – 10 Quotes on Change

Have you ever had a day where you had to eat your own words? Yeah, something you said a day or two ago comes back around and you end up having to eat those same words you spoke? Me too. I wrote yesterday about Gratitude. I didn’t know that today I would need those verses to remind myself a few things, lol.

So I write this blog to find hope in this crazy world. And I have to admit, sometimes the world gets crazier! Last night I read this article on Facebook about how HOPE thrives when there is CHANGE. Now that’s true. But what if I don’t like CHANGE? Too bad Ms. D. Change is inevitable, growth is optional I hear. So I thought I would search out some wisdom on the subject. Here are some great quotes by really famous people about CHANGE.

10 QUOTES ON CHANGE

  1. “You can’t stop the future
    You can’t rewind the past
    The only way to learn the secret
    …is to press play.”
    ― Jay Asher, Thirteen Reasons Why
  2. “They always say time changes things, but you actually have to change them yourself.”
    ― Andy Warhol, The Philosophy of Andy Warhol
  3. “We can’t be afraid of change. You may feel very secure in the pond that you are in, but if you never venture out of it, you will never know that there is such a thing as an ocean, a sea. Holding onto something that is good for you now, may be the very reason why you don’t have something better.”
    ― C. JoyBell C.
  4. “We are not trapped or locked up in these bones. No, no. We are free to change. And love changes us. And if we can love one another, we can break open the sky.”
    ― Walter Mosley, Blue Light
  5. “Stepping onto a brand-new path is difficult, but not more difficult than remaining in a situation, which is not nurturing to the whole woman.”
    ― Maya Angelou
  6. “And that is how change happens. One gesture. One person. One moment at a time.”
    ― Libba Bray, The Sweet Far Thing
  7. “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
    ― Mother Teresa
  8. “Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.”
    ― Eckhart Tolle
  9. “One day spent with someone you love can change everything.”
    ― Mitch Albom, For One More Day
  10. “There were people who went to sleep last night,
    poor and rich and white and black,
    but they will never wake again.
    And those dead folks would give anything at all
    for just five minutes of this weather
    or ten minutes of plowing.
    So you watch yourself about complaining.
    What you’re supposed to do
    when you don’t like a thing is change it.
    If you can’t change it,
    change the way you think about it.”
    ― Maya Angelou

(All quotes found on Goodreads, Images from Diana Rasmussen and Pinterest)

Spirituality

Have You Met Lady Wisdom?

Lady Wisdom. Wow, I wish I would have met her earlier in life.  Live and learn  I guess. I am grateful that today we are friends. I recently started reading Proverbs in the Message Bible. It really has opened my eyes to the “heart” matters. I was not raised in Church. I did not a Bible until I was 30 something. I did not know how to discern good people from evil people. I believed what people told me – even the lies. I was naive. But without the Word, it was like walking around a big forest with no compass. I was lost. Proverbs helps me learn what good looks like and what evil looks like.

PROVERBS 4:16, 18 MSG

Evil people are restless unless they’re making trouble; They can’t get a good night’s sleep unless they’ve made life miserable for somebody. Perversity is their food and drink, violence their drug of choice.

The ways of right-living people glow with light; the longer they live, the brighter they shine. But the road of wrongdoing gets darker and darker—travelers can’t see a thing; they fall flat on their faces.

 

 

PROVERBS 8:12-21 MSG

“I am Lady Wisdom, and I live next to Sanity;
Knowledge and Discretion live just down the street.
The Fear-of-God means hating Evil,
whose ways I hate with a passion—
pride and arrogance and crooked talk.

Good counsel and common sense are my characteristics;
I am both Insight and the Virtue to live it out.
With my help, leaders rule,
and lawmakers legislate fairly;
With my help, governors govern,
along with all in legitimate authority.

I love those who love me;
those who look for me find me.
Wealth and Glory accompany me—
also substantial Honor and a Good Name.

My benefits are worth more than a big salary, even a very big salary;
the returns on me exceed any imaginable bonus.
You can find me on Righteous Road—that’s where I walk—
at the intersection of Justice Avenue,
Handing out life to those who love me,
filling their arms with life—armloads of life!

Spirituality, Uncategorized, Videos

Back to School with Albert Einstein

In honor of all the  kids going back to school today I made this video. For my kids, for my Sunday School kids, for all the awesome friends my kids have, and all of you:  I pray God’s abundant blessings and favor upon each of you this year. May it be absolutely fantastic! And hey, why not Albert Einstein – God made and used him too!

 

 

 

Spirituality

Quotes on Wisdom

Data, knowledge, wisdom. Which is greater? And where do you get it from?  It’s back to school week here in WI so I thought I would focus on learning. Enjoy, and God bless you all this week!

 

 

Data.
We have access to lots of data. We live on the Information Superhighway. Anything you want can be found online – good or bad. We have tons and tons of data available to us. But what do you do with it?

 

Knowledge.
Some say knowledge is power. I beg to differ. Some of the smartest people I know have no common sense whatsoever. I have met person upon person with lots of letters after their name who do not know how to treat people with love or compassion.

Wisdom.
Taking that data and knowledge and knowing how to use it. That’s what I want to learn. And they don’t teach it in school. It’s one of those things we learn on the way.

 

I want to seek God for wisdom. He told me I could. Even Jesus grew in wisdom as he grew. I could use more wisdom. How about you?

 

QUOTES ON WISDOM

Luke 2:52
And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Luke 2:40
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

Isaiah 11:2
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

Proverbs 4:6-7
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.  Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.

Job 28:28
And he said to the human race,
    “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil is understanding.”

James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.

Job 12:12
Is not wisdom found among the aged? Does not long life bring understanding?

Psalm 37:30
The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just.

Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

Proverbs 3:7
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil.

Proverbs 13:1
A wise son heeds his father’s instruction, but a mocker does not listen to rebuke.

Psalm 90:12
Teach us to number our days,
    that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 2:26
To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind.

Romans 11:33
Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and[a] knowledge of God!
    How unsearchable his judgments,
    and his paths beyond tracing out!

1 Corinthians 1:25
For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Colossians 2:2-4
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments.

James 3:17
But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere.

1 Corinthians 1:30
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.

Proverbs 29:11
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.

Proverbs 14:1
The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.

Proverbs 15:12
A mocker resents correction; he will not consult the wise.

Proverbs 19:20
Listen to advice and accept instruction, and in the end you will be wise.

Proverbs 3:13
Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding,

 

Everything with a Place and a Purpose

 Proverbs 16 The Message (MSG) 

Mortals make elaborate plans,
but God has the last word.
Humans are satisfied with whatever looks good;
God probes for what is good.
Put God in charge of your work,
then what you’ve planned will take place.
God made everything with a place and purpose;
even the wicked are included—but for judgment.
God can’t stomach arrogance or pretense;
believe me, he’ll put those upstarts in their place.
Guilt is banished through love and truth;
Fear-of-God deflects evil.
When God approves of your life,
even your enemies will end up shaking your hand.
Far better to be right and poor
than to be wrong and rich.
We plan the way we want to live,
but only God makes us able to live it.

It Pays to Take Life Seriously

A good leader motivates,
doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit.
God cares about honesty in the workplace;
your business is his business.
Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds;
sound leadership has a moral foundation.
Good leaders cultivate honest speech;
they love advisors who tell them the truth.
An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives;
you’re smart to stay clear of someone like that.
Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives;
they’re like spring rain and sunshine.Get wisdom—it’s worth more than money;
choose insight over income every time. The road of right living bypasses evil;
watch your step and save your life.
First pride, then the crash—
the bigger the ego, the harder the fall.
It’s better to live humbly among the poor
than to live it up among the rich and famous.
It pays to take life seriously;
things work out when you trust in God.
A wise person gets known for insight;
gracious words add to one’s reputation.
True intelligence is a spring of fresh water,
while fools sweat it out the hard way.
They make a lot of sense, these wise folks;
whenever they speak, their reputation increases.
Gracious speech is like clover honey—
good taste to the soul, quick energy for the body.
There’s a way that looks harmless enough;
look again—it leads straight to hell.
Appetite is an incentive to work;
hunger makes you work all the harder.
Mean people spread mean gossip;
their words smart and burn.
Troublemakers start fights;
gossips break up friendships.
Calloused climbers betray their very own friends;
they’d stab their own grandmothers in the back.
A shifty eye betrays an evil intention;
a clenched jaw signals trouble ahead.
Gray hair is a mark of distinction,
the award for a God-loyal life.
Moderation is better than muscle,
self-control better than political power.
Make your motions and cast your votes,
but God has the final say.

The Message (MSG)
Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson