Salty or Sweet?

My husband and I differ in our snack choices; he's salty, and I'm sweet. But we do come together when these two can combine, such as with yummy salted caramels.

In the spiritual world, salty and sweet often go hand-in-hand too. The Bible tells us not to lose our saltiness because we are the salt of the earth...but that should not be confused with "salty talk". We are told to have the salt of the spirit but to use sweet words when communicating with others. Mark 9:50 tells us to have salt in us so that we may be at peace with one another. 

Too often, we use harsh words toward one another, when we should use words to edify the way God's word instructs us. God's word tells us that a kind answer turns away wrath, and in the same way, a harsh answer brings wrath. Angry words raise blood pressure and add stress to your body--and to the person your anger is pointed toward. Speaking kindly doesn't only make for better relationships, God tells us in Proverbs 16 that it is actually good for our own health. So make it a habit to speak kindly--it does a body good!

And next time you speak to someone, ask yourself if you're salty or sweet!

Five Minutes you'll never get back

We've all heard the saying, "That's five minutes I'll never get back."

Time is precious, but when it comes to investing our time wisely, most fall short. Many things waste our time: watching TV, surfing the internet, or even brooding over something that didn't go our way. Pick something you do that wastes time; we all do it.

But what about the time we waste with God?

We spend so much time worrying about things like what others think about us, that we forget to worry about what God thinks of us! When we get so caught up in people that we forget to spend time with God, it breaks our connection with Him. 

What would happen if we went without food all day? Our grumbling bellies would remind us to eat. Although God reminds us in more subtle ways than a painful hunger pang, we can't ignore Him any more than we can ignore physical hunger. If we do, the consequence is that our spiritual life will suffer, and that is just as important to take care of as our physical life. Most of us wouldn't voluntarily go without food for an entire day, but some people go days, weeks, months, or even an entire lifetime depriving themselves of their spiritual food.

Take back that five minutes, and spend it with God! If we spent even five minutes with God each morning when we woke up, it would set the day off right, and would certainly arm us with the tools we needed to face our day--and other people. 

The BEST thing about talking with God is that we can talk with Him WHILE we're doing other important things that keep us busy. Yes, God is willing to take what we can spare, but we should ALWAYS strive for time alone. He gives us His undivided attention every day--all day, so why shouldn't we give Him as much as we can give? God knows we are busy with our jobs and families and laundry and grocery shopping and planning for our future; the list goes on forever. He cares about each and every aspect of our lives--right down to the laundry!

Five minutes can go a long way when it's spent doing something that is good for us. So next time you're brushing your teeth or pouring your morning cup of coffee, folding laundry or grocery shopping, or counting to one hundred because of a demanding toddler, pause and talk to God. Trust me when I tell you, it will be the most rewarding five minutes you'll ever take back!

Honk if you Love Jesus

I can remember when I was a child and seeing this as a bumper sticker on cars. Sadly, my parents were heathens and wouldn't be caught dead with such a sticker on their cars. They, in fact, ridiculed those who did. They honked, but not to proclaim their love for our Lord and Savior, but to mock those who did.

I didn't grow up in an environment that was pro-Jesus. God was something my mother used against me as a means to keep me in line with her rules. Too many times she would tell me that God was going to strike me down if I did anything wrong. And so I earned the nickname of "Goody-Two-Shoes" my siblings gave me.

So, like a lot of kids, I thought God was to be feared rather than to be loved, adored, and praised. Yes, I learned the song "Jesus Loves Me" in vacation Bible school over the summers because I was lucky enough to have a friend whose mother hosted them. 

Despite learning that Jesus loved me, I always had that fear in the back of my mind. When I got saved as a teenager, I began to share that faith with my parents--both of whom did not get saved until on they were on their deathbeds, but at least it happened! Jesus can break through any barrier that would keep you from knowing him. 

The reason for this post? Lately, I've heard a lot of honking out there, but mostly for the wrong reasons. So next time you get the urge to honk at someone on the road, ask yourself if you're doing it to show the love of Jesus!