Where Do Good Decisions Come From?

Decisions should come from the mind AND the heart.  One without the other is either too emotional or too cold.   Emotions warm up what our brain dictates and the brain pushes stop on the Panic Button.
When I was a young minister's wife, I did every job that was posted on the To Do list. I prepared communion, taught Sunday School, led Women's Bible Study, picked up the nursery laundry, emptied the trash, and gave the pews a once a week polish.  

Then a very wise person pointed out to me that (1) I wasn't passionate about some of the tasks I had taken on, and (2) I was depriving someone else of serving.  In a nice way, she informed me that I was being selfish.

Now that I am a little more mature in my walk of faith, I've learned to give any decision about service some time.  I also seek the advice of others, pray about the opportunity, and just breathe.  This little routine has resulted in more committed decisions and a manageable calendar.

Try my little decision making routine.  You may like it so much that you'll make it your own.  

Until next time, Sheila

 

Spiritual Identity Theft

Often we don't think of decisions in conjunction with our identity.  But how we view ourselves is very important to our spiritual growth.  Christ died so that we could become children of God.  Our identity is tied up with His death, burial, and resurrection. 

If you need a boost for your ego, read Ephesians especially the first part of the book where Paul tells us what we have inherited from our Father.  Throughout the book he exhorts us to live as children of the light and finishes is off with reminding us of the armor God has provided.

Read it over and over until you believe it. Don't let the Evil One take away your place in the family.  The deceiver want to steal your credentials and leave you stranded, but we have identity that can't be stolen, can't be sold, lost, or forfeited.  Our identity is with Christ.

Make a decision to conduct yourself as one that has been bought with a price more extravagant than the world has ever known - the blood of the Maker.

Samantha Hoffman: Writing Tip: There Are No Absolutes

Samantha Hoffman: Writing Tip: There Are No Absolutes: I recently went to the Southeastern Writers Conference   (that's a picture at left of St. Simon's Island, where the conference was...

Decide to Give Yourself a Gift

This past week I was with 40 of my closest friends, those who know me best, and STILL like me.  They are my friends from Southeastern Writers Association.  I have been a member since 1983 and on the board for 10 years.

This was my first year back after retiring from the SWA board and I didn't know how I would feel.  But whatever qualms I had vanished as I was greeted with smiles, hugs, and handshakes.  It is wonderful to have those who accept you without any conditions.

This is the way it has been.  You can goof up, commit a faux pas, or any social boo boo and true friends forgive.  They even cheer for you as they did for me when I won several awards at my alma mater of writerdom.

And because I am all about decisions, here is one you should make.  Decide to give yourself a gift.  Someone said, "A friend is a gift you give yourself."  So lavish yourself with gifts of friendship.  It doesn't cost anything, but the gift of a friend is priceless.

Give Me Patience - NOW

I am afraid that most of us pray this way.  We want God to give us what we want, when we want it, and PRONTO.  That's not the way it works.

We wouldn't ask a person that rudely so why don't we use our best manners when it comes to the Creator, the Master of the Universe, and our King Forever?  I don't have the answer but I know that I am guilty and I suspect you are too.

Humility, patience, longsuffering. . . these are not traits that we like to hear about much less practice.  Ah but we must for our Lord practiced all of these and more.   Maybe that's why some of the pious Jews in Jesus' time put scriptures on their bodies to remind them.  Be patience.  Be loving.  Be kind.  Be available.  Be humble.  Be longsuffering.

And in our case. . . Be Christlike.

Barriers to Love

When I started writing 13 Decisions that will Change Your Life, I hadn't considered how many barriers there were to unconditional love.  As it turns out, there are many.  More seem to rear their heads every day.

Love is curtailed by distrust or mistrust.  We've all experienced betrayal and the bitterness it leaves.  Love is unable to live in an atmosphere of unforgiveness.  Roots of  malice burrow into our lives and take years of diligence to get rid of.

Love closely related to joy and a zest for living.  Neither is possible if a scimitar is poised over our head.  Purging grudges, putting away hard feelings, and defusing feuds unbars the road to love.  Unfortunately cleared pathways don't always stay clear, so this demolition must be a constant chore.   Don't put off your spring cleaning so love can blossom. 

All of LIfe is a Decision

From the first time you choose Cheerios(c) over toast, your life has been a series of decisions. Some are seemingly small such as what to have for breakfast or what to wear.  Others are of the more weighty variety like who do I marry or what will I do with my life.

Decisions also have consequences.  If we eat spicy food at midnight, we may pay with indigestion.  If we marry an incompatible individual then the consequences may be unhappiness or even divorce.  Unfortunately, most of us take decision making quite lightly and use the eeny-meeny-miny-moe approach.

My series of books take on 13 of our major decisions that change our lives, our marriages, our communities, and eventually our world.  How we act or react to life or how we anticipate life makes a difference in all of our relationships. 

When we display anger, unforgiveness, isolation, and guilt, it may be time for a deeper probing of what is going on in our lives.  I want to take this journey with you.  It is one I have experienced and so have many of my colleagues.