Who's in Charge?

      We were attempting to clean the fall and winter fallings of pine straw and leaves from our 5-acre plot today.  Since we did not do the usual fall clean-up, the yard was a mess. Our burn pile was growing higher and higher, but the wind was blowing too hard to set it on fire.  Finally, about six, just before dark, the wind flag stopped whipping in the wind and settled, showing almost no breeze at all.  I looked at my husband and stated, "Can you believe this?  All day we have wanted to burn, and now it is too late and we are too tired to watch an overnight fire."  My husband reminded me of who is in charge when he replied, "Praise God! He knows what He is doing." 
     A simple statement can put me back on track.  God is in charge of the seasons. He is in charge of the wind and the rain. Who am I to question or complain?  As it was stated in Gone With The Wind, "After all tomorrow is another day."

Tomorrow

   Tomorrow

     I love quotes.  Some have several meaning which can be applied to life.  For instance, in The Love Story, there was a quote, "Love means never having to say you're sorry."  This is a little unrealistic.  Sure there are a few people who have so much unconditional love they will overlook your blunders, but, the fact remains, their feelings may have been really hurt.  If we hurt people, especially those we love and those who love us, we should be mature enough to rise above our pride and say, "I am sorry."  Even with God's unconditional love, He requires that we ask forgiveness.
     Still there is another quote which comes to mind that can go two ways.  In Gone with The Wind, Vivian Leigh (Scarlett OHara) said, "After all tomorrow is another day."  Knowing we have tomorrow may indeed put our mind to rest in that we are given time to remedy some of our problems and mistakes.  As Sue Krebs states, "As the day ends, put your worries to rest. Tomorrow is another day, filled with hope, potential, and promise."  However, what if we don't have tomorrow?  What if you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your Savior, and there is no tomorrow?  Will you have missed the chance to enter  into the gates of Heaven?
   

New Year's Resolution for 2014

     There is no greater place to decide to establish a new goal or resolution for the new year than this place I call “A Friendly Shade” even if it is currently 14 degrees and much colder than usual for this part of lower southern Arkansas.   It may take a long time to see results, and many of us who form new resolutions for the year soon run into road blocks, but through faith we can “press on.”
     My goal for improvement is what I set most every year; lose weight, start a healthier exercise program, be more conservative in order to become more financially secure, and most important-read my Bible daily and have a closer walk with God. 
     Yet, only 7 days into the new year I have met a road block.  How can I improve on my financial budget when a major appliance has “bitten the dust?”   How can I maintain an early morning walking routine, before leaving for work, when the temperature has hit an unusual low of 14 degrees?  In my human weakness, the warmth of my bed leaves me snuggling beneath the covers much too long after the alarm has alerted me to the time.     
     When I fail to meet schedules in order to reach my goal, I have to remind myself that just because I have hit a road block, it does not mean that I have failed.  There is always a detour road that can get me where I want to be.  It may just take a little longer.  As Philippians 3:14 says, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me…”
     We all have failures but it is determination that creates success.  Sometimes we may have to forget about the goal for a while and come back to it later.  Scarlett O’Hare in “Gone With The Wind,” left a lasting impression with several quotes throughout the story.   When it was too much for her she cried,  “I can’t think about this now.  I’ll go crazy if I do.  I’ll think about it tomorrow.”  In time, when we see ourselves failing, we have to pick ourselves up and start again.  Again Scarlett gives us encouragement when she  exclaimed,  “As God is my witness they’re not going to lick me.  I’m going to live through this.”   Then finally at the end, she determinedly states, “I’ll think of some way…After all, tomorrow is another day!”
     Therefore in 2014, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize…”