Christ often spoke about the relationship between heaven and earth. In the Lord’s Prayer, he asks that the will of his Father be done on earth as it is in heaven. The apostles are told that whatever they bind on earth, will be bound in heaven (Mt 18:17). Jesus mentions heaven seventy times in Matthew’s Gospel alone. Christ establishes this impenetrable bridge to make known the ultimate destination that awaits us all. We are bound for heaven in a way that remains hidden to the world. Our earthly direction is tracked by the universal GPS – affirming that we are indeed on the way to buy milk, pick up the kids from school or arriving just in time to board the red-eye flight out of JFK. Unfortunately – there is no GPS tracking our way into heaven. Darn. Knowing how close or far we are is left up…
The best marketers persuasively try to equate “good” with their product or service. Catchy slogans like “Life is Good” and “Finger Lickin Good” are perfect examples of how “goodness” is used as the foundation for a brand’s identity. Yet in spite of their creative use of association, plenty of potential customers still choose to shop elsewhere. Driving this is the reality that the way people choose to determine what is “good” varies from person to person. Everyone has a different perception of what “goodness” means. Conversely, the nature of all persons universally begins with the same inherent goodness at the start of life. As we are all created in the image of God, his perfecting goodness is woven within each person in the same way. The reflection of God’s goodness is especially evident in the innocence and purity of young children. No matter how many…
Hello Friends, This month I discovered the creativity of diamond painting. I am so happy to share the completed work! The painting kit came with an easy to follow legend directing the layout arrangement for every color variant of bead. Using a little wand and a dash of sticky wax, I carefully pressed tiny, sparkly beads inside a preset pattern. Before selecting my image to create, I perused through all sorts of delightful scenes ranging from views of nature to spectacular floral arrangements. I ordered the Victorian Lady painting. Upon seeing the image of the lady revealing only her back, I knew right away it was the one to bring to life. I love her red gown and its delicate bows and pretty butterflies. The scene was so interesting and a bit mysterious. That’s why I chose it. The picture is alive with story. It’s as…
C.S. Lewis talked about a day that would come when we would all be old enough to start reading fairy tales again. Remember Grim’s Brothers and Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales and stories? Or the miracle in Cinderella’s story that still captivates you even now. No matter how old we are, we can always benefit from putting some fairy tale magic into the air. Here are 3 ways to bring enchantment into your day: 1. Inspire Your Surroundings in Little Ways We all have pictures and special mementos displayed throughout our home. They bring back wonderful memories of life’s most precious moments. In addition to these treasures, are there other special tokens or little inspirations that remind you of a magical moment still imprinted on your heart? They can be as simple as your favorite fairy tale quote or a picture capturing an…
With summer officially starting, now is a great time to put your “to-get-done” checklist together. You might be thinking about the list of family activities that get prioritized on your calendar each year. Although that list is really important, it is not the one I am referring to here. After all, almost everything on the family calendar typically gets done as planned. The whole family rallies behind making sure nothing gets missed. The annual block party, visits to the town pool and beach outings all get the attention they deserve. The list I am referring to is the one containing the things you are thinking about doing just for yourself. Despite your best efforts, these activities often get shelved to make room for everything else. Time passes and before you know it, the opportunity is gone. So if you haven’t started writing your own…
