The car pictured above is a Corvette Stingray 427 from the mid-1960's. Did you ever wonder why they called it a stingray? Well, "the name was used to give people a sense of the fierceness from the predatory stingray in the ocean." *
And what is a stingray that is found in the ocean? It is a type of cartilaginous fish. So what does cartilaginous mean? To put this into perspective, human skeletons are made of bone, whereas cartilaginous skeletons are made of cartilage, which is gristly, rubbery and tough. Fierceness. Gristly. Rubbery. Tough. That is what the folks in the marketing department hoped to convey in the naming of this car. Let's look at this with a spiritual eye. Do you want to be known as fierce, gristly and tough? Or would you rather be known for your compassion, warmth and love? The choice is yours. Be a stingray, or be a human. Father of All Creation, You have blessed me with my life and my being. May my presence always be representative of You. Amen. * http://blog.applechevy.com/2020/07/07/where-did-the-stingray-name-come-from/ TAGS: Inspiration, Prayer "Let no one deceive himself. If any one among you considers himself wise in this age, let him become a fool so as to become wise." - 1 Corinthians 3:18
You've done it. We've all done it. You say or do something that just doesn't let your best side show. You regret it because you embarrassed yourself, you acted foolhardy, or you simply didn't allow the light of Christ to shine through you. Unfortunately, you cannot change the past. What you said is what you said; what you did was what you did. Maybe, then, it seemed like the right thing to say or do. You were so dead set and headstrong at the time. But, now, you sure wish you could take it all back. Instead of being a "bunny butt," when you find your self in a heated situation, stop, take a deep breath, and think about it. Maybe even walk away from it for a bit. Ask yourself these questions: Am I letting my emotions control my action? Will I be sorry for my action? Will I offend someone by my action? Am I being Christ-like with my action? O God, help me to control my words and actions so that I may think first about what Jesus would do in a similar situation, instead of responding of my own accord. Amen. TAGS: Inspiration, Prayer Is God’s existence no more reasonable than leprechauns?
“It is easy to prove leprechauns exist when you don’t have to find and present them – I have one sitting beside me now – anyone care to prove that I don’t?” – an atheist’s view of life. It is impossible to absolutely prove that you exist. Yet you casually assume that you do. You can’t absolutely prove that Australia or Manitoba or Andorra exist, at least without having witnessed them yourself. You take their existence as facts because others have testified to it. This is precisely the same sort of data that the Bible provides us with in the case of Jesus. People saw Him, witnessed His miracles, and met Him after He came back from the dead. Atheists think they can defeat such evidence by simply dismissing the very possibility of miraculous occurrences. God, on the other hand, has given us plenty of ways to overcome the atheists. We can second-guess God all we like and try to figure Him out, or we can start following His advice and have a much more happy, joyful life. We have to exercise faith and trust. We’ll never figure everything out about God, anymore than we can figure everything out about His creation. There are many very bright, sharp people, including thousands of brilliant scientists and philosophers, who believe in God. Yet, science still doesn’t have the foggiest idea of how the universe began, how life began, how DNA began, etc. They study and seek, but they still don’t know. We can seek and try to learn all we can, of course, but it shouldn’t be a stumbling block or cause a lack of faith and joy, let alone unbelief. So, who is lurking in your trees: a leprechaun or God? EXCERPTED FROM: https://www.patheos.com/blogs/davearmstrong/2015/08/god-no-more-reasonable-than-leprechauns.html TAGS: Inspiration She gave a cutting of her daisies to her next door neighbor. She gave another cutting of her daisies to the neighbor across the street. The next door neighbor gave a cutting of her new daisies to the neighbor behind her. They put a cutting of daisies at the front entrance. Within a year or two, there were daisies throughout the neighborhood.
Spreading daisies; spreading kindness; paying it forward. What part of yourself do you give to others? Do you share your smile, your friendship, and your warmth with others? Do you initiate the "giving" or do you wait to "receive?" Spreading daisies. Do you? Master Gardener, help me to share the bounty of myself with others. Amen. TAGS: Inspiration, Prayer "Ah! Those who call evil good, and good evil, who change darkness to light, and light into darkness, who change bitter to sweet, and sweet into bitter!" - Isaiah 5:20
The leaf looked rather absurd. Kind of like a Phantom of the Opera mask or good versus evil rendering. Funny how nature can make such a distinct line between good and bad, without even a whisker of a curve in the line or the slightest bit of a crossover. Sadly, we can't be that well-defined. As much as we try to be black and white, there's always a little gray in the mix. Perhaps it's all in the way we perceive things. Do you look at the evil and see good? Do you look at the good and see evil? Do you look at this leaf and call it good? With a little pampering, water and fertilizer, do you think you could bring it back to life? Or do you look at this leaf and call it bad? Are you looking for the shears to prune this leaf because it is unsightly and could possibly infect other parts of the plant? Or do you look at this leaf and think that with some pampering, water, fertilizer, and pruning, you could nurture new growth from it? Gracious Gardener, challenge me to recognize good and evil, to separate the good from the evil, and to foster the worthiness of all. Amen. TAGS: Inspiration, Prayer A typewriter. A manual typewriter on top of it. Circa 1970's. Now there's a 50 year vintage antique!
If you've used one before, do you remember the various parts: paper rest, platen, carriage return, roller knob, ribbon, strikers? Then there's the necessary accessories, such as correction tape or correction fluid (for example: Wite-Out or Liquid Paper), for correcting those inevitable typos. Life was simpler back then, or was it? From its origins in 1877 as a manufacturer of firearms, Smith Corona used similar mechanical processes and manufacturing techniques in the emerging production of typewriters, leading to innovations in typewriters, word processors and thermal labels. Being forward thinking and adapting to changing times, this company has remained in business and profitable for over 140 years. How about you? How adaptable are you? Can you "go with the flow", and innovate and change according to the challenges in your life? Do you seek God's help and guidance for your growth? Do you tap, tap, tap, return? Or walk, sprint, run, jump forward? TAGS: Inspiration, Story Sending messages the old-fashioned way hearkens back to days gone by. Some people may not even be aware of a life without electronic or digital media, whereas others may happily remember times spent creating sidewalk art as a child.
Saying "hi", drawing pictures, sending love can all be conveyed by a creative mind, a piece of chalk, and a suitable palette. Messages to last or messages to inspire; all with something to say. Have you sent someone a worthwhile message today? TAGS: Inspiration "But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides." - Matthew 6:33
There's one group of people who are fearful of entering into retirement because of fear that they will not have enough money. This often leads to working into their later years, taking part time jobs, or doing with less. Then there's another group of people who believe that God will provide. Regardless of the need or want, God will provide. And amazingly, He always does. The first group feel stressed, worried and anxious. The latter group feel confident with an exuberant faith. Which group are you in? TAGS: Inspiration "For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal." - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
Have you ever felt so down like you're in a chasm or deep hole that you just can't crawl out of? Are you feeling like the walls surrounding you are caving in on you, brick by brick, one by one? Do you wonder how you're ever going to get out of this "funk"? Do you need to put caution cones around you so that others will avoid you and not be the brunt of your depression and anger? Become childlike. Look up. Look beyond. See the God waiting for you with outstretched arms. Imagine your arms outstretched, reaching out to your mother or father waiting to hold you in their arms, close to their heart. Instead of looking at the bricks falling in, look at the bricks as building blocks to be constructed into a wonderfully-made work of art, created as you are by the God who loves you. Just remember: this too will pass. The pit you are in will be restored again, and patched over so that all signs of your present troubles will be removed. O Master Carpenter, patch over the holes in my life. Be my bricklayer to rebuild me anew in Your love. Amen. TAGS: Inspiration, Prayer "But they refused to listen; they stubbornly turned their backs and stopped their ears so as not to hear." - Zechariah 7:11
How well do you listen? Do you give your undivided attention to the person speaking to you? Or is your mind wandering, thinking about the next thing you have to do or want to say? God is speaking to you, perhaps directly, or most likely, indirectly through the person speaking to you. Are you listening? Or have you "stopped your ears" so as not to hear? Stop what you are doing ... right now. Stop. God is speaking to you. Are you listening? My God, turn my back to see your face. Unblock my ears to hear your voice. Come, come into my heart. I want to listen to you. Amen. TAGS: Inspiration, Prayer |
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