Minding Your Heart . . .

“More than all else, to be watched over and protected (as something in a confined place) it is imperative that you preserve and keep your heart sensitive; because from within it comes divine direction for your life.” Paraphrase of Proverbs 4:23

Do you mind your heart? This paraphrase of Proverbs 4:23 caught my mind when I heard it spoken. I’ve always liked this proverb which in the NIV says: “Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.”

Some of my favorite verses regarding the heart are:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts.” Deuteronomy 6:5,6 Love God and know His word. It keeps the heart healthy. It provides guidance as you go through each day. And when the need arises, you know where to go to receive answers.

“. . . since you know his heart (for you alone know the hearts of all men)”, 1 Kings 8:39 There is nothing we can think, do or say that God doesn’t already know what is in our hearts. There is comfort in knowing He knows everything. Even when you are wrong, God knows. God cares. God works.

“I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!”Job 19:27 I’ve always loved the book of Job because of the Lord’s exchange with Job in Chapters 38 through 42. God knows and created everything. There is nothing God doesn’t know. My heart does yearn within me to be with God. We can have complete assurance that we will be with God when our days on earth are over if Christ is our Lord and Savior. There is no guessing.

“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10 To will one thing . . . that is a pure heart; steadfast spirit . . . that is being firm in belief. Basic principles in living the Christian life.

“From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Psalm 61:2 This is one of the first psalms I became acquainted with as a new believer. My sister and brother-in-law directed me to it for comfort. The rock is strong and steady and all I need when my heart grows faint.

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:34 A number of times in previous posts I’ve mentioned treasures I find along the way. Those treasures come from a heart full of thanks for God. His creation, the beauty of life . . . His word, the food of life.

“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:3 With your mind always on Jesus, who overcame death so that we can live, you can overcome the trials of life.

Do you mind your heart? It is the wellspring of life.

Let's Try Laughter . . .

In Genesis 21:6, Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.”

I’m enjoying immensely the words of Charles Spurgeon in the devotion book, Look Unto Me: The Devotions of Charles Spurgeon. In a recent devotion, Mr. Spurgeon shared regarding Sarah and the laughter she enjoyed upon the birth of her son. I especially enjoyed the following excerpt from that devotion, which I knew certainly didn’t describe me on a day-by-day basis. It certainly is food for thought.

“‘May my mouth be filled with joyous laughter because of the extraordinary, surprising grace I have received from the Lord, for I have been found by Jesus, the promised seed, and He is mine forever. Today I will lift up psalms of triumph to the Lord ‘who remembered me in my low estate’ (Psalm 136:23), for ‘my heart rejoices in the Lord; in the Lord my horn is lifted high. My mouth boasts over my enemies, for I delight in your deliverance’ (1 Samuel 2:1).

“I desire that all those who hear of my great deliverance from hell and my blessed salvation, which have ‘come to me from heaven’ (Luke 1:78), would laugh for joy with me. I would love to surprise my family with my overwhelming peace, delight my friends with my ever-increasing happiness, and edify God’s church with my grateful confessions of praise. I would even love to impress the unbelieving world with the cheerfulness of my daily conversation.’” I’m sure each of us could use a little more laughter in our lives, especially laughter from God!

As Jim Reimann (edtor of this devotion book) says at the end of this devotion: “Our Lord has given us all we need in Jesus, and one of His greatest gifts is deep abiding joy, even during the most difficult of times.”

We all know that laughter is good for the soul and our physical well–being. A familiar phrase we hear is, “A laugh a day keeps the doctor away.” On stress.about.com it shares how “a good belly laugh exercises the diaphragm, contracts the abs and even works out the shoulders, leaving muscles more relaxed afterward. It even provides a good workout for the heart.”

Let’s try more laughter. Job was able to say “He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.” (Job. 8:21) I should be able to also . . . even though I’m Eeyore at heart!

Above picture is a much younger me with Emma enjoying a good laugh!

The Wonder of Digital Art

My friend, Karla Dornacher, author and artist, has thrilled the hearts of her faithful admirers by providing digital art for others to create with. The above picture is my first creation with her art.

What a wonderful outlet for those of us who can’t draw. This new opportunity has given me many hours of pleasure as I design my own note cards from pictures I create. Karla’s digital art can be purchased at Aimee Asher Elite. Another website that sells digital art I admire is Audrey Jeanne’s Expression.

Being able to create with art that you enjoy is the next best thing to being able to draw! The options are never ending as to what you can do. I do my creating in Photoshop Elements. It took me 8 months to master the program, but it sure has been worth it!

As in taking digital pictures and creating with them, try digital art. This may help satisfy your artistic heart! Digital has certainly made a difference in my life.

24 Hours is Enough . . .

“Take rest; a field that has rested gives a bountiful crop.” Publius Ovidius “Ovid” Naso (43 B.C.-A.D.17)

In the rush of today’s world I have only one recourse to take to use my time wisely and for the purposes I desire. That recourse is hard to obtain. It’s called self discipline.

Discipline means a systematic method to obtain desired results. Self means me. I have to determine to take control of my days. I have found there is enough time in each day to do all that I want to do; that is, if my priorities are in order, and I live by those priorities..

Several years ago a neurologist diagnosed that my brain didn’t know how to relax; hence, it was always tense. That’s why I had lived with headaches every day of my adult life. We settled on medication that helped me, and now I'm almost headache free, but I made a decision that my life was going to slow down.

Aside from my job, which I go to five days a week, all other activities and plans were placed in priority order. I consciously accepted that I didn’t have to do everything or go everywhere. My fulfillment had to come from doing less and enjoying it more. And it has!

The first thing I did was build a routine into my schedule for waking in the morning and going to bed at night. Even on weekends. Receiving the proper amount of sleep was vital to my ability to take control of my life.

As boring as routine sounds, it liberated me. I’m running to my own clock and feeling the benefits. With my priorities in place, there is no longer guilt that I should be doing something else. I’ve accepted my skills and talent; chose the activities where I can used them, and released all other obligations.

A favorite quote comes from Robert Frost: “There’s absolutely no reason for being rushed along with the rush. Everybody should be free to go very slow.”

I now have time to relax and rest my body. Several months ago I saw a pillow in a catalog which had the following saying on it: “How beautiful it is to do nothing and then rest afterwards.” I never had time before. I do now.

Doing less has not deteriorated my quality of life. With my priorities before me, I have plenty of time to be responsible to my call of God. And that’s really all that is important anyways.