“All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:15
As our days of summer slowly come to an end, it is important that we take the next few weeks to simply have fun! I believe it is time for us to laugh & enjoy our loved ones as never before! Proverbs 17:22 states that laughter is like medicine for our soul, but did you know that it also reduces pain and allows us to tolerate discomfort? Laughter reduces blood sugar levels, increasing glucose tolerance in diabetics and non-diabetics alike. Laughter can improve our job performance (as a business woman or stay-at-home mom), especially if our work involves creativity or solving complex problems. Laughter also plays a vital role in all our relationships, especially in marriage.
Bottom Line: Laughter is underestimated!
Let’s change the atmosphere in our home through laughter and fun! I have come up with a few tips, from myRadio Series titled, “Setting the tone in your home” which aired on “The Dottie Coffman Show”. Let us continually feast on laughter and fun with a merry heart!
Tip #1: Set aside time for fun.
Vacations are great, but don’t wait to enjoy your family and friends until then! A colleague of mine did this and a few days before his family ski trip, he broke his leg! Ugh!It is important to make time for fun in your everyday, ordinary life. Host a game night at your home or invite your loved ones over for a dessert night – the key here is to enjoy your family and friends!
Tip #2: Do Something Out of the Ordinary.
Do something unpredictable! All of us tend to be creatures of habit, but I want to encourage you today to break out of the mundane and do something extraordinary! For example, take a day off and go somewhere you have always wanted to go! Take a trip to the zoo, buy a new pair of shoes and strut your stuff or rent a stack of DVD’s and declare a “national pajama day” in your honor! (P.S. – Don’t forget to laugh:)
Tip #3: Find one thing to laugh about each day.
Laughter releases stress and tension in our body and when we laugh, we feel refreshed!It is important to laugh at yourself and at life when possible, especially when difficulties come our way. Whether you find a joke online to giggle about or apply one of the tips from above – it is my prayer that you will allow laughter and fun to change the atmosphere in your home and life!
Prayer:
“Lord, thank you for the gift of laughter. Psalm 16 tells us that in Your Presence is the fullness of Joy and at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Please fill me with Your Presence and help me to set aside time for fun and do something extraordinary today that will make me and others laugh! Amen.”
“Dear friend, take my advice; it will add years to your life. I’m writing out clear directions to Wisdom Way, I’m drawing a map to Righteous Road. I don’t want you ending up in blind alleys, or wasting time making wrong turns. Hold tight to good advice; don’t relax your grip. Guard it well – your life is at stake!” Proverbs 4:10-13, The Message
Last week we discussed how a wrong association would bring destruction to your life, but did you know that even a right association at the wrong time would still bring wrong results? Think about this with me for a moment. You can have a right relationship, but if you embrace this relationship in the wrong season, it can bring frustration and wrong results – can I get an amen from someone? This right friendship may have been a huge blessing at one time and it may even be once again in the future, but if we hold onto a right association at the wrong time – it will eventually self-destruct.
Here is what God has shown me: A right association in a right season = right results
A wrong association in any season = wrong results
And a right association in a wrong season = wrong results
The word “season” in the Greek is “karios.” “Karios” is defined in the Strong’s Concordance as, “an opportune time, set time, appointed time, definitive time, proper time for action and tells us of special happenings that are to occur during a certain time frame.” It is important that we know the season we are in and whom we are to associate with for such a time as this.
There are seasonal places to live, positions of employment, friendships to enjoy and such that are right associations in the right season, but if we apply these in a wrong season, they will eventually self-destruct. This is why we need God’s supernatural wisdom in every area of our life! Next week we will be looking at the three levels of friendships: Friendships for a lifetime, friendships for a season & friendships for a moment.
Proverbs 7:4-5 in the NKJV states, “Say to Wisdom, you are my sister, and call understanding your nearest kin, that they may keep you from *wrong relationships, from *wrong associations who flatter with their lips.” (*Words changed from immoral woman and seductress to wrong associations/relationships by author).
We are entering a season where it is vital that we heed God’s wisdom in our lives. Our obedience is vital to the Kingdom of God. It is time for us to let go of the childish things and grab onto Jesus with all of your might. Jesus is the Right association all the time!!!!
Prayer:
“Lord, I cry out for Wisdom this day. I give you permission to show me any wrong associations in my life. Help me to let them go in order to grab onto You and the right associations for such a time as this. I want to go higher in You and I declare that You are the Right association at all times! Show me the times and seasons. Amen.”
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!” Psalm 105:1-2
In honor of Thanksgiving, I wanted to share a video with you that I made and published on youtube last year titled, “Give Thanks.” May we all be reminded of our many blessings and I pray that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
“…Yet once more I (The Lord) will shake not only the earth, but also heaven.’ Now this, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of those things that are being shaken, as of things that are made, that the things which cannot be shaken may remain. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom, which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. For our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:26-29
A few weeks ago in Illinois, I heard the Lord say, “There is a lot of shaking going on.” I sense within my spirit that God is shaking off old mindsets, attitudes and anything that does not line up His Word from His people. For the lack of a better way to say it – God wants to be God in our lives.No matter what – He is God, but how many of us allow other “gods” to consume our lives? It is time to let go of the things of this world and to let God be our All-consuming Fire. It is time for us to walk according to the scripture above, and “in God’s supernatural grace by which we can serve Him acceptably and with reverence and godly fear.” There is a mighty shaky going on!
*Watch the Presidential elections my friends – God is rising up His choice. He has anointed someone in the Spirit realm to be our next President. It is only because of God’s abundant mercy and the prayers offered up to heaven that I can boldly declare this to you today. We must continue to pray. And in the weeks to come, you will see a shaking in the polls. The Lord would ask of His people, “Will you not see? Will you not hear the voice of the Lord (Isaiah 43:19)?” Do not look to the media or to man, look to God. He will show you whom He has called to be our President in 2008. There is a whole lot of shaking going on!
Prayer:
Lord, I give you permission to shake anything out of my life that does not line up with The Word of God. Forgive me for allowing the things of this world to take my focus off of You. I long for Jesus to be my all-consuming fire. I forgive those who have hurt me and spitefully used me. I bless those who have cursed me and I choose to walk the higher road. Speak to me Lord about my life and about what is going on in the world. I declare that God’s choice for President in 2008 will be elected. I declare that I have ears to hear and eyes to see whom God has anointed. I pray this in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ.” Amen.
*Please continue to pray for rain – we are still in desperate need – Thank you!
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!” Psalm 105, 1-2, NKJ Version
I am thankful:
For the baby that wakes up
In the middle of the night,
Because it means I am
Blessed to be a parent.
For all the unanswered prayers
Which were never fulfilled,
Because it means that God had something better.
For the wife who serves leftover
Spaghetti for the third time this week,
Because it means she is feeding me and
Not someone else.
For the lonely times
When God feels far away,
Because it sharpens my ears
To hear God’s voice.
For the floors that need vacuuming,
The tables that need dusting and the
Bathrooms that need cleaning,
Because it means I have a home.
For the car that continually breaks down
And the rising gas prices,
Because it means I have transportation.
For all the angry and bitter
People in my life,
Because it gives me
A chance to love them unconditionally.
For the sink of dirty dishes,
Because it means I have two hands
And I was able to prepare a meal.
For the husband who constantly
Watches sports in the living room,
Because it means that he is
At home and not out with another woman.
For the list of phone calls to return,
Emails to be read and thank you notes to be mailed,
Because it means I have friends.
For the children who fuss
Over doing their homework,
Because it means they are safe
And at home with me.
For the boss and co-workers
That drive me crazy,
Because it means I have a job.
For the disagreement between
myself and another person,
Because it means we are
Working through an issue.
For the times when my prayers
Seem to go nowhere,
Because the prayer offered by a friend
Was exactly what I needed.
For the clothes that no longer fit,
Because it means I have plenty to eat.
For the wrinkles around my mouth,
Because it means I have had a reason to smile.
To live in America
Because it means that I can
Own a Bible and read it in public.
For the difficult days
Because it makes my good days
Even better!
In all things…Give thanks! Pass it on!
Tracy Hurst @ –www.tracyhurst.com Laugh Often, Love Much and Fulfill Your Destiny
The faithful readers of tracyhurst.com have picked the post below as one of their “favorites.” Read & enjoy – It’s that time once again…. for a Friend Check:
“Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good, here’s what you do – Say nothing evil or hurtful; snub evil and cultivate good; run after peace for all you’re worth. God looks on all this with approval, listening and responding well to do what he’s asked; but he turns his back on those who do evil things.” 1 Peter 3:10, Message Translation
Whenever I am around people who gossip, I always leave their presence feeling dirty and in need of a spiritual shower. Yet, as much as I hate gossip, occasionally I find myself listening with interest and even participating. Whenever gossip first begins in conversation, my spirit feels uncomfortable and I always try to change the subject. Nevertheless, at times I get pulled in and fall prey to this evil sin. This is why we must be careful with whom we spend time and allow in our inner circle. Our inner circle consists of individuals we socialize with on a regular basis. *The truth is: If these “friends” are talking about others with you, then they are talking about you with others! Are you hanging out with people who gossip and say evil things about others? Are you that person? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal if this is true about you or the friends you associate with.
Once a year I do what I call a “friend check.”This ritual allows the Holy Spirit to show me if someone, for various reasons, needs to move from my inner circle. Although this is hard for me, I have learned to trust the hand of God. God will often remove someone who is a wrong influence in my life and bring new friendships, which will encourage me to fulfill my destiny in Christ. Don’t be afraid to ask God to do a “friend check” in your life – I’ve had the same best friends for ten plus years. But they are people who run after peace and speak well of others. God simply longs to fill our days up with good and look upon us with his approval as the scripture states. He is a forgiving God and is always looking out for our very best.
Prayer:
Lord, help me to be a woman who runs after peace and cultivates good wherever I go. I give you permission to show me if I have fallen prey to gossip and speaking evil of others. Please forgive me Jesus and cleanse me of this sin. Help me to speak only good of others and hold things in confidence. Give me wisdom about who is in my inner circle. I give you permission to remove anyone out of my inner circle and to bring in new friends for your purposes in my life. Thank you for looking upon me today with approval from heaven. Thank you for loving me. Amen.
Point to ponder: The people you hang out with today will determine who you become in five years!
Tracy became a Christian at the age of 16 and her life was changed forever. She went from being a depressed, suicidal, rebellious teenager to a dynamic leader for Christ. Immediately after accepting Jesus as her Savior, Tracy fought the school board in order to begin a Bible study on school grounds at her high school in Illinois. The dramatic transformation in Tracy's life has inspired many, including her own mother, to give their lives to Christ.
“All the days of the afflicted are evil, but he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:15
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples! Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk of all His wondrous works!” Psalm 105, 1-2, NKJ Version
