Four Principles for Successful Daily Living

 This was the title of the devotion for today in Joyce Meyer's Trusting God Day by Day.  The book is one Rhonda and I are using for our 2021 daily devotions.

The scripture for today was taken from I Peter 3:10-11  "For let him who wants to enjoy life and see good days [good--whether apparent or not] keep his tongue free from evil and his lips from guile (treachery, deceit).  Let him turn away from wickedness and shun it, and let him do right. Let him search for peace...and seek it eagerly."

Wow!  Powerful words.

In the devotion Joyce pinpoints each of those principles and details how to accomplish success.

1.  Keep your tongue free from evil.

2.  Turn away from wickedness.

3.   Do right.

4.   Search for peace.

She further explains that when she focuses on these four things, that her relationships improve, as well as her health, her attitude, and all areas of her life. 

The 'Trust In Him' section asks which of these four is the most troublesome.  I can answer quickly on that one.  #1 is hard for me.  No, I don't speak evil as far as evil goes.  I am not malicious.  I am not full of hatred.  I don't use verbal abuse on others like my mom did.  But I do find myself slipping into negative comments frequently.  

One of the 'goals' that I had when the new year began was to think and speak more positively. I have failed that goal.  Big time.  I tend to see the negative more than the positive in most situations.  I know if anyone reads this and knows me, that person will be laughing and thinking 'Yep.  That's Beth.  She is always pointing out the negatives about someone or something.'  My only saving grace is that I don't point those out to too many others....just to Gary and the girls. 

So for the other three?  

I can "turn away from wickedness." I altered my friendships at West Central.  I removed myself from the group that liked to bash their husbands and other people we worked with.  I didn't hold where my students lived against them or allow what others said about them to influence my ability to teach them.  I don't use drugs. I don't smoke.  I don't drink excessively.  I don't watch X rated programs.  I don't look up porn on my laptop.  I try not to lie or cheat.    I won't commit adultery.  I don't steal.  

"Do right."  Another thing that I try to do.  I know there a difference between what is right and doing what is wrong.  I try to turn away from doing wrong.  There may be some things I don't want to do, but I know that they are the 'right things' to do, so I do them.  Does that make any sense?  At any rate I think I have a good hold on this one.

"Search for peace."  When I first typed that, I change the first two words to just one:  Seek.  But then I changed it back because I think that searching for something is more powerful than just seeking it.  Right now, at this very minute, I feel peaceful.  I can't say that very often.  Why?  Because I worry too much.     

On our last trip to Meijer, which was last Friday, I picked up a new pack of note cards.  The reason?  To have something to jot down some notes or verses or things I want to remember.  Today I plan to open that pack and write the four principles.  

Think it will help?

Rough Month

 February used to be the month of birthdays!  

Grandma Greta's birthday was February 17, 1903.  It was always fun to celebrate with her.

Mom's birthday was February 21, 1926.  Just a few days after Grandma's and sometimes we would celebrate both together.

Carol, my cousin, has a birthday at the end of the month, and when we were little, I remember celebrating her birthday too.  

Then when I married into the Siemens family, we added two more February birthdays.  Agnes was born on February 4, 1930.   Gary's aunt Ann was born on February 14.  I am not sure of the year of her birth, but she was older than Leo.  

As time went on, February 17 took on another very special meaning.  It was the day that Hilary and Blaine picked up Landon from the foster family in Portage.  That day in 2010 was the first time I held my first grandson.  It was so special!  I remember being so excited and not wanting to miss it. I had a class that night and Beth Dean subbed for me so I could be at Leo and Agnes' house to greet him for the first time.  

So why is this a rough month?  One by one the women celebrating February birthdays have left us.  Ann died on my birthday in 2000.  Grandma Greta died while the girls were still in school, probably in 1994 or so.  Mom died in May 2017.  Agnes died in November 2016.  

It is just sad that a month that was full of celebrating mothers, grandmothers, and an aunt is empty of birthday cards and celebrations now.  I remember going shopping in January and buying all of the cards needed for the month of February.  On more than one occasion it was mentioned at checkout that we must be celebrating a lot of birthdays soon, and I would comment that it seemed like all of the women in the family had been born in February.

Maybe I should shift my focus to one of celebration and remembrance.  Instead of feeling sad about this, I should remember what role these women had in our lives, some of the times we celebrated, and stop being so sad about everything.  Sounds like a better idea, doesn't it?