Tag: Ephesians

  • What’s on your Christmas list?

    With Love Gift Tag

    In light of Christmas coming soon, several words intrigued me. Here are just a few which made me think of Christmas:

    • Rich
    • Incomparable Riches
    • Kindness
    • Gift

    Makes you think of the holidays and gifting times, doesn’t it? I looked up the word “incomparable” just to see what new concept I might uncover. The dictionary describes incomparable as:

    •  Beyond comparison
    • Matchless
    • Unequaled
    • Incapable of being compared to each other

    In this reference, Paul refers to God and His matchless gift of giving the ultimate sacrifice, His son Jesus Christ. There’s no better gift given than that of Christ’s blood shed for our forgiveness of sins. We also then can enjoy the gift of Hope for now and in the future.

    •  Is there a gift of kindness you could give to an unsuspecting person?
    • Can you think of a gift to give that does not have a monetary value to it?

    Dear God,
    Thank you for the ultimate gift of Your son, Jesus. None of us deserved such a priceless gift. I pray I’ll prove worthy. My desire is to focus on the real reason for the season and not be obsessed with the purchasing of many man-made gifts. I’m so thankful to be a part of Your family! 

    “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved … in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God …,”—Ephesians 2:4–8.

     

  • Jesus: the Reason for the Season (part I)

     

    “Be completely humble and gentle, be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace” –  Ephesians 4:2–3.  

    Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus
    Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus

    I don’t know about you, but I have a hard time being patient with some people. Maybe it’s the season of the year. Christmas is approaching fast and I don’t have all the gifts purchased yet. The presents I do have are scattered all around my office. The room is a complete disaster. I’m waiting for the neat fairies to descend, wave a magic wand, and all will be categorized, packaged and labeled ready for delivery. I can dream, right?

    Family members can’t make up their minds when they’re available so a Christmas time table can be set. My personality thrives on schedules and unity, and when neither happens, I tend to stress to the max. A gentle spirit rapidly gives way to an abrupt, cool personality. Patience melts into exasperation and love has a hard time finding a home in my heart. The results resemble anything BUT peaceful.

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  • New job description

    I just completed two weeks at my new job. Description of the job:  

    View outside my office window

         *  Tiring

         *  Stretching me

         *  And I’m weary, but  

    I am so thankful that God showed up this week! God helped me literally walk miles through unchartered territory, meet new faces (and even remember some!)

    My hubby supported me even so far as to pack my lunch while I scrambled to shower, dress and be out the door by 6:15 a.m.

     Bonus: I have the opportunity to work with a Christian colleague – God, you are amazing!  

     “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us,” (Ephesians 3:20).

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  • Happy 36th Anniversary!

    Hard to believe…today Steve and I celebrate our 36th wedding Anniversary. I thank God for Steve’s love, faithfulness, and long-standing commitment to me and to our family. Love you babe! 

    Always smooth sailing? Hardly. We’ve had our share of turbulent wind and waves, dead-boring calm and serene times too. When we both said “I do,” before God and witnesses, we committed to sticking together in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer. God didn’t promise years of perfection or no troubles. In fact, given the vows repeated, you’d expect adversity and pain.

    What’s our secret to success? Flexibility, compromise, faith, and commitment. The best laid plans of men don’t always work out. I may have an idea or plan in my head, but that doesn’t mean my husband will embrace the same idea. Time has a way of helping solve disagreements. If the two of us don’t agree on a certain topic, sleeping on it (if the decision can wait) lends different perspective to the topic.

    Give-and-take remains key in a relationship. I can’t always be right and neither can he. Respect the other person for their individual God-given talents and knowledge. I heard a quote once: “If both of us had identical qualities, one of us wouldn’t be needed!”  If more time is needed, agree to disagree. It’s never a good idea to go to bed angry though, “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry” (Ephesians 4:26).

    Commitment: to bind by pledge or assurance, promise, obligation, dedication, devotion, steadfastness. Those can be frightening words…maybe that’s why many chose to avoid making a commitment. After all, it’s much easier and less threatening to stick with someone when the tide is favorable and the way smooth.

    Perhaps the most important is faith. Faith in someone bigger and wiser than myself. I chose to place my faith in God: healer, Savior, and unconditional lover of my soul. As much as I love my husband, he cannot satisfy every longing of my soul. Steve is only human—just like me—full of selfishness, pride, and sin. When I place my trust in the unchangeable God, great things happen. Like being married 36 years today to my high school sweetheart! 

    Teresa Kay Lasher ©2011

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  • Letting go

    I spotted my old Jeep in the grocery store parking lot. I’ll admit the sighting was bittersweet.  Yes, I do miss her, but I also love my new Ford Flex. Out with the old, and in with the new.

    Sweet part: I spied a “U.S. Army Retired” sticker on the back window. This made my lips and heart smile. 

    I wrestled with letting go of my comfortable yellow Jeep. I loved that Jeep and she had provided many happy times for our family. Yet, for practical purposes, my husband and I needed to look for a vehicle with more storage and people capacity.

    Sometimes in my personal life I desperately cling to old habits and old desires. Stuff I know I should be letting go of in order to move on with my life. It may be a wrongful desire of something someone else has and I do not. I rationalize to myself that I deserve such and such. Big or little, this covetousness prevents me from progress and from becoming holy in God’s sight. Deep down, I know I need to relinquish that sinful thought or deed.

    Ask: Is there something (or someone) that you know should not be a present in your life? Can you confess it to the all-hearing and all-knowing God and start fresh today?

     “put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22–24).

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  • Adopted

    “He predestined us to be adopted as his sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 1:5a). 

    Because of God’s sovereign and gracious act in providing for your salvation by adopting you, there is a blessed climate of intimate love and trust between you. How infinitely precious and worthwhile you must be to him!—Kay Marshall Strom

     Adopted…by the King of Kings—how awesome is that!

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