Words for the day: Black Friday

What is a black Friday?    A shopping frenzy, people waiting in long lines, consumers looking for specific goods  that they will trade for US currency, a full contact sport

What causes a shopping frenzy?  Supply and Demand

Who goes on a shopping frenzy?   I think everyone except me, well and my daughter but that doesn’t really count because her husband went FOR her while she stayed at home with the kids.

Where did the name “Black Friday” originate from?  It first originated in Philadelphia as early as 1966.

Why is it called “Black Friday”?  It is thought of as being the best shopping day of the year, marks the start of Christmas shopping, and is the day retail businesses operate in the black (so my question is, how can stores stay open for 364 days if they are operating in the red?)

How can we help those who went?  Cut them some slack because they probably haven’t had much sleep, love them, and  pray for their safety (hey, I’ve been out there standing in line for hours to get ONE cabbage patch doll so believe me, it’s a jungle out there.)

Anything else?  While you’re talking to God, please remember to mention your family and friends. 

:  )  Happy Black Friday. 

Advice

My kids (who are all grown) and I have a sort of unspoken contest going on and we’ve been at it for several years.  Instead of giving each other serious birthday (or Christmas) cards, or sentimental wishes, we look for the "funniest" card we can find.  The key determining factor for success is that the card will make everyone laugh.  There are also unwritten standards that state the cards must be Rated G, or PG so the children can join in as well. 

Last month for my son-in-law’s birthday I found the perfect card for him.  Since he has a dog and a cat who wrestle and taunt each other daily, this particular card caught my eye.  On the front of the card is a picture of a cat and a dog.  The cat was definitely in charge and was issuing a warning to the dog. The dog was hanging, connected by his backside to the refrigerator.  The smiling cat reminded the dog that he had been told NOT to eat the refrigerator magnets.

Obviously, the dog did not take the cat's advice. 

That’s often the problem with advice.  The warning was “don’t eat”;  the dog ate it anyway and discovered there were consequences. 

Have you experienced advice that you chose to ignore?  Adam and Eve were told “don’t eat” and they ate anyway. The difference is that (unlike the cat) God didn’t tell Adam and Eve not to eat because he was on some kind of power trip.  God knew if they ate of the tree of good and evil, they would be exposed to evil.  Fortunately (unlike the dog in the card), our story doesn’t end there. We were not "hung out to dry".

After the garden incident God still spoke to those who were listening.  God also sent His Son so that we could begin to understand His love.  Then God sent His Spirit so we can talk to God.

Bottom line here is that God loves us and wants us to talk to Him, receive His love, and rely on His free grace. It's totally free and not something you can earn.  In other words, just be yourself with God. God’s greatest desire is to be in fellowship with you.  No strings attached, God wants you to talk to Him, and He wants to talk to you today.  Even if talking to God is a little out of your comfort zone, give it a try. I promise you won't be disappointed. The Spirit is a great counselor who gives sound advice.

Grateful Seeds

Being grateful reminds us of how blessed we really are.

Being grateful spreads…

Every day we spread seeds to everyone we meet.  They can be seeds of gratitude, or seeds of discontent.  You can choose to love or choose to ignore.  You touch every person each and every day with seeds. 

Take just a minute to jot down what you are grateful for and carry that list with you as a reminder.

Here is my list:

I am grateful for God’s love, forgiveness through Jesus, and constant help from the Spirit. 

I am grateful that God is always here talking and listening, holding onto me, working good             in me and for me even when I don’t realize what He has done and is doing.

I am grateful for family and friends.

I am grateful for my church and that we have the freedom to meet publicly.

I am grateful for my job and my crazy funny co-workers.

I am grateful that I have the opportunity to go to school.

I am grateful for my home.

 God has truly blessed me and I pray He will pour blessings on you.

So, what are you grateful for?

Feel free to post what you are grateful for, and by all means tell God (because he loves hearing from you.)

The Big Deal

Peace…in the midst of turmoil is especially sweet.  God’s peace is available anywhere under any circumstance.  Peace is a gift from the Spirit, and it is free for the asking.

My dad passed away over 20 years ago, but I remember him talking about God’s peace frequently.  Honestly, I couldn’t understand at the time (especially when I was a teenager) why having peace was such a big deal.  When I was a teenager, I wasn’t seeking peace.  I wanted excitement and challenges.  During my twenties I had four children. I didn’t have time to think about peace.  While raising my children, there were times I would want peace (and quiet).  I used to spend time late at night sitting with God.  That was when I really started to want peace. 

I had to learn that peace doesn’t only come during quiet times.  During the darkest time of my life I came to realize that if I remain open to God, His peace is available.   

Jesus knew we would need peace because we would be troubled.  In John 14:27 he said,” I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.”

I also learned that peace is a free gift of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) and peace is available whenever we ask and receive. 

Do you want peace today?  All you have to do is ask and receive. 

Talk to God today and ask for peace.  Then receive what God has for you. 

Viscosity

                               

Scientifically speaking, viscosity is the fluidity, or “runniness” of a liquid.  If a liquid has a high amount of viscosity it will be thicker, as in blood.  If a fluid has less viscosity it will be runnier, as in water.  Viscosity is the amount of resistance in the fluid.  

 

 

 

 

 

God created viscosity for a purpose.  In a non-scientific context, viscosity comes from the Latin word “viscious”.  All of us during our day encounter situations where we encounter a high amount of viscosity or resistance as we interact with others.  

 

 

We may also encounter internal resistance as we deal with issues that re-surface from the past.  Often, we don’t recognize those in ourselves (although we seem to be able to readily spot them in others) because we are so accustomed to our issues that they seem like an old friend.  

 

 

Talking to God is essential when we encounter external or internal viscosity.  Unfortunately, often we tend to either ignore them or run from the source of resistance.  

 

 

By talking to God, the Spirit will help us to face the resistance. 

Only by facing it, can we conquer it.  

 

 

Anne Lamott in Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life wrote, “Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if you just show up and try to do the right thing, the dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't give up.”

 

 

You are not alone in the dark.  God stands with you.  Talk to God, and listen for the answer.  Therein lies your hope.  

 

 

There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off.

                                                                                      Proverbs 23:18

 

Talk to God

Talking to God about your needs is not only acceptable, Jesus encouraged us to talk to God about whatever we need.

We are also encouraged to talk to God about others.  We are told in I Thessalonians 5:17 to pray without ceasing.  As we talk to God about others our hearts are bound to them through the Spirit.

Please pray for:

A man who needs healing and rest

A woman who is in pain

A woman who needs a job

A family who has financial needs

A child who is having health problems


One thing I've learned about prayer is that you will be blessed for praying.  If you have requests, you can email them to:  talkingtogodtransforms@gmail.com

Talk to God Requests

Prayer Requests that have come in:

Please pray for a three year old who is having serious health problems.

Please pray for a man in Montana looking for a job.


Send your requests to:  talkingtoGodtransforms@gmail.com