When I was a little girl, I learned about many sayings and traditions of my heritage. My Dad was proud of his Scottish heritage and would playfully share little things he enjoyed about our bloodline. One of these was about the Scotsman's whistle.
It is well known that the Scottish are known as being frugal and sometimes even being tight with their money and possessions. It brings a smile to my face to remember the many times my sisters, brothers and I would suck on a straw to the bottom of our drink till it made a loud slurp. Though it may not have been a melodious tune, Daddy would give a little laugh and ask who was making the Scotsman's whistle. You see, a Scot will get every drop and the whistle comes from that effort to get that very last sip.
The Scotsman's whistle gives me cause to think about each day filled with so much to experience and enjoy. It is at the end of every day that we can look back and ask if we have taken every moment and savored it. I ask myself if I have used my Scotsman's whistle for every experience. So many times I have not, but I must admit that when I do my pleasure is complete.
It is my understanding that God wants us to live life abundantly and to me, being Scottish, that means He wants to hear a Scotsman's whistle at the end of each life experience. In that context a Scottish whistle is a praise to God!
Praise to You Father God! You are fun, mysterious, and abundant in life! Thank You for giving us so much to enjoy. I want to enjoy life in abundance, but so often I forget to get that last little sip out of life and thus forget that you would want to hear my Scotsman's whistle. Forgive me, and help me remember to breathe in every moment with gusto and praise to YOU!
Showing posts with label abundance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label abundance. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Friday, October 8, 2010
Abundant Life
What is abundant life? According to the Websters New World Dictionary, abundant means very plentiful; more than sufficient; ample. It also means well-supplied; rich. So, again I ask what is abundant life?
Is there more than one choice: the choice of life or death? God says we can have abundant life and so there must be more than just living. Life is a precious gift. Jesus offers us the gift of a choice to live abundantly or deficient. The abundance comes from relationship with Him. If we choose not to have relationship with Him, we live a less than sufficient life.
There are times when I walk through a valley of emotions. I struggle with life issues and stumble over thoughts that push me down. In those times, I must make an extra effort to open my life to Jesus. Patrick and I go through those tough places too. When we do, it is our choice to reach out to one another and to take time to be together in relationship. Jesus is my Bridegroom for eternity. His promise to me has always been more than just an ordinary life. Tough times can bring depth and fullness just as much as the mountain top experiences.
Jesus, Lover of my soul, You alone supply abundantly the life I long for! You give me riches even in the valleys. I am so sorry that I grumble and complain about those long hard days and nights! Please forgive me. Thank You for making all things work out for my good!
Is there more than one choice: the choice of life or death? God says we can have abundant life and so there must be more than just living. Life is a precious gift. Jesus offers us the gift of a choice to live abundantly or deficient. The abundance comes from relationship with Him. If we choose not to have relationship with Him, we live a less than sufficient life.
There are times when I walk through a valley of emotions. I struggle with life issues and stumble over thoughts that push me down. In those times, I must make an extra effort to open my life to Jesus. Patrick and I go through those tough places too. When we do, it is our choice to reach out to one another and to take time to be together in relationship. Jesus is my Bridegroom for eternity. His promise to me has always been more than just an ordinary life. Tough times can bring depth and fullness just as much as the mountain top experiences.
Jesus, Lover of my soul, You alone supply abundantly the life I long for! You give me riches even in the valleys. I am so sorry that I grumble and complain about those long hard days and nights! Please forgive me. Thank You for making all things work out for my good!
Friday, June 18, 2010
Living Abundantly
We are a busy people. When asked how we are doing, we so often reply that we are busy and much is happening in our lives. It is true! We are busy.
I awoke this morning making my mental list of things to do and planning for everything we want to do this summer. The list is long! Even this blog is on my list. Listening to God as I went through my list, I heard Him say that my life is full. I had to agree. My cup overflows!
I admit I sometimes would like less overflowing from my cup, but when I think of it, I certainly look at each activity as a gift. I am living life fully! I live life in relationship with Jesus, family and friends. I live a life of abundance that demands stewardship. I live a life of communication that compels me to share.
Are you busy? Maybe we all need to change our "Busy" response to the "How are you?" question, and make it "Full!" We are blessed and God is giving us abundant life. Let us make the most of every day, especially in building our relationship with God and others!
God, my Father, You are More than I could ever dream! You are the Fullness of everything good! I am not proud of the way I sometimes push away Your abundance in my life. I know that relationship is important to You and I do not always make time for those dear people You have given me. Thank You for my family and friends. Show me how to treasure them in my heart and make time for them in my full life! You are so Good!
I awoke this morning making my mental list of things to do and planning for everything we want to do this summer. The list is long! Even this blog is on my list. Listening to God as I went through my list, I heard Him say that my life is full. I had to agree. My cup overflows!
I admit I sometimes would like less overflowing from my cup, but when I think of it, I certainly look at each activity as a gift. I am living life fully! I live life in relationship with Jesus, family and friends. I live a life of abundance that demands stewardship. I live a life of communication that compels me to share.
Are you busy? Maybe we all need to change our "Busy" response to the "How are you?" question, and make it "Full!" We are blessed and God is giving us abundant life. Let us make the most of every day, especially in building our relationship with God and others!
God, my Father, You are More than I could ever dream! You are the Fullness of everything good! I am not proud of the way I sometimes push away Your abundance in my life. I know that relationship is important to You and I do not always make time for those dear people You have given me. Thank You for my family and friends. Show me how to treasure them in my heart and make time for them in my full life! You are so Good!
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Two Sides
Today I watched James Robinsons' program where he showed the children dying of starvation. As the show ended I flipped to another channel to watch the news. The program before the news was The Price is Right. I saw two sides of the same world within seconds of each other.
Luxury, abundance, greed and selfishness reign here on our side of the world. On the other side of the planet lives struggle in the severest poverty where the only thing they cling to or grasp for is life itself. What purpose do I have living here on the prosperous side of the earth? Could I learn to be a giver and not a taker? Could I make a difference in a child's life, providing life giving food to them?
The answer has to be "Yes." Yes, I can help, if I give up my selfish desires. Yes, I can help if I reduce the affluence I keep and offer food to the hungry from my storehouse of abundance.
Father, I have heard You say that when I feed the least of these I feed You. I seldom give as much as I am able to give. I hold back more than enough for myself. I am so sorry for my selfish greedy heart. I know it may take awhile to pry my fingers off of my things so that You can use them for Your children in need, but i want to get there Lord! I do not want to withhold anything from You.
Luxury, abundance, greed and selfishness reign here on our side of the world. On the other side of the planet lives struggle in the severest poverty where the only thing they cling to or grasp for is life itself. What purpose do I have living here on the prosperous side of the earth? Could I learn to be a giver and not a taker? Could I make a difference in a child's life, providing life giving food to them?
The answer has to be "Yes." Yes, I can help, if I give up my selfish desires. Yes, I can help if I reduce the affluence I keep and offer food to the hungry from my storehouse of abundance.
Father, I have heard You say that when I feed the least of these I feed You. I seldom give as much as I am able to give. I hold back more than enough for myself. I am so sorry for my selfish greedy heart. I know it may take awhile to pry my fingers off of my things so that You can use them for Your children in need, but i want to get there Lord! I do not want to withhold anything from You.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Love Learning
Learning is a lifetime chore or habit depending on how we look at it. Each day we are given an assignment in life and it is our responsibility to learn from what takes place. It is not always easy.
Watching my grandson learn to walk and talk, or my granddaughters to learn their math facts, is an expression of learning life's lessons of character, relationships and love. Sometimes it is trial by error. Other times it is just stick to it and be creative in how to make it work. And then there are the times when we just need to put our heart and mind into it, learn the lesson and move on!
Some of our lessons, like math, come in steps of harder challenges as time goes on. In math we learn the numbers, then adding and subtracting . We then move on to multiplication and division before we can ever understand algebra and trigonometry. Come to think of it, almost all lessons come packaged this way. Generosity is learned in steps of sharing our toys before we can come to the place of giving out of our own need.
One of my greatest gifts received from my parents was to learn to love learning! I have been determined to teach my children that same lesson and hope that it will be passed on to many generations. To love learning is to love living. It is an abundance of life we will receive when we embrace the lessons of each day and fill our hearts with gratitude for the adventure of the new experience.
My question in my March 30, 2009 blog is married to this one : Am I Teachable? You might want to check it out.
Thank You, Teacher God, for giving me lessons to learn and making it an exciting journey! You surprise me each day with something new! It makes life interesting and enjoyable! You are a grand master at teaching! You make even my failures a lesson to learn, a lesson in learning! I want to live every day seeing my experiences as assignments from You so that I can learn about life and life abundantly!
Watching my grandson learn to walk and talk, or my granddaughters to learn their math facts, is an expression of learning life's lessons of character, relationships and love. Sometimes it is trial by error. Other times it is just stick to it and be creative in how to make it work. And then there are the times when we just need to put our heart and mind into it, learn the lesson and move on!
Some of our lessons, like math, come in steps of harder challenges as time goes on. In math we learn the numbers, then adding and subtracting . We then move on to multiplication and division before we can ever understand algebra and trigonometry. Come to think of it, almost all lessons come packaged this way. Generosity is learned in steps of sharing our toys before we can come to the place of giving out of our own need.
One of my greatest gifts received from my parents was to learn to love learning! I have been determined to teach my children that same lesson and hope that it will be passed on to many generations. To love learning is to love living. It is an abundance of life we will receive when we embrace the lessons of each day and fill our hearts with gratitude for the adventure of the new experience.
My question in my March 30, 2009 blog is married to this one : Am I Teachable? You might want to check it out.
Thank You, Teacher God, for giving me lessons to learn and making it an exciting journey! You surprise me each day with something new! It makes life interesting and enjoyable! You are a grand master at teaching! You make even my failures a lesson to learn, a lesson in learning! I want to live every day seeing my experiences as assignments from You so that I can learn about life and life abundantly!
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