Spiritual Thoughts

  W e cannot become what we need to be by remaining what we are. ~ Oprah Winfrey  B eloved, do not imitate what is evil, BUT what is good. The one who does good is of God. ~ 3 John 11

  Friday Tale ~ "Root Bound" L ike potted plants, people can become "root-bound."   We have a beautiful "Christmas Cactus" which I gave to my wife as a gift many years ago. It has accompanied us through tough years and good times. It has lived with us in four different communities and has been present during the raising of our family. But it almost died.   As the small plant grew, we transferred it to a larger pot. It did well for about twenty years, but then began to die. It seemed that no amount of feeding, coddling or attention helped. We finally plucked a few leaves, re-rooted them and started over. We could barely remove the now-dead plant from its pot for all the knotted and intertwined roots. The beautiful succulent was dying because it outgrew its environment. The plant changed, but the container it lived in stayed the same.   People, too, can die when they outgrow their environments. They need broader views, bigger challenges. Songwriter Bob Dylan...

  L ike wildflowers, you must allow yourself  to grow in all the places people  thought you never would. ~ E.V. F or as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up, so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to sprout up before all the nations. ~ Isaiah 61:12

  A single act of kindness throws out  roots in all directions, and  the roots spring up and make new trees.  ~ Amelia Earhart   S ow with a view to right-ness, Reap in accordance with kindness. Break up your fallow ground, for it is time to seek the LORD until He comes to rain righteousness on you. ~ Hosea 10:12

I trust that every experience  holds a valuable lesson for   me to learn and grow from .  ~ Unknown   I t is good for me that I was afflicted, so that I might learn Your words. ~ Psalm 119:71

P eople usually judge you based on where you are at currently, not what you could become eventually.  Don't let one comment stop you from trying. File it away or use it as fuel. Focus on getting better. Someone else's analysis of your current position does not tell you anything about your current potential.  ~ James Clear   BUT grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen. ~ 2 Peter 3:18

  E xperience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. We all mess up from time to time, BUT we can extract valuable wisdom from those mistakes, grow and learn. ~ Oscar Wilde B e on your guard BUT grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. ~ 2 Peter 3:18

C hange might not be fast, and it is not always easy, BUT with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped. ~ Charles Duhigg   D o not conform to the pattern of this world, BUT be transformed by the renewing of your mind. ~ Romans 12:2

A lways continue the climb. It is possible for you to do whatever you choose, IF you first get to know who you are, and are willing to work with a power that is greater than ourselves to do it. ~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox   But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing...how from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ~ 2 Timothy 3:14-15

W hen the winds of change blow, some people build walls and others build windmills. ~ Unknown   BUT speaking the truth in Love, we are to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head, Christ. ~ Ephesians 4:15

  Y ou have to decide if you are going to wilt like a daisy or if you are just going to go forward and live the life you have been granted. ~ Kevin Costner   T rust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. ~ Proverbs 3:5-6

T hings don't wrong and break your heart so that you can become bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so that you can be all that you were intended to be. ~ Samuel Johnson   B lessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love him. ~ James 1:12

  T his bright new year is given me To live each day with zest. To daily grow and try to be My highest and my best. ~ William Arthur Ward   W e continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all the wisdom and understanding He gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord, and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God. ~ Colossians 1:9-10

C hange must always be balanced with some degree of consistency. ~ Ron D. Burton     T o everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-2

E verything you go through  grows you. ~ Robert Tew   BUT speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into him who is the head, even Christ. ~ Ephesians 4:15

  I t's never too late - in fiction or in life - to revise. ~ Nancy Thayer   BUT those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles, they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not be faint. ~ John 16:33

  D evelop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow. ~ Anthony J. D'Angelo   A ll Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. ~ 2 Timothy 3:16-17

  I f we don't change, we don't grow. If we don't grow, we are not really living. Growth shows faith. ~ Gail Sheehy (amended)   N ow the parable is this: the seed is the word of God. But the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. ~ Luke 8:11, 15

  Change is your friend not your foe,  change is a brilliant opportunity to grow. ~ Simon T. Bailey   BUT speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, Christ. ~ Ephesians 4:15

  W hat you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals .  ~ Zig Ziglar   BUT the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ~ 1 Timothy 1:5