We went to church this morning (or rather day, I love this extra hour we get to sleep on the day we turn time back for winter…) - it is a rather heavy day in the church year, with focus on penance and sins. I’m not to found of this day, but I defend it’s place in the church year because we need a day for new beginnings - even though, EACH day with Christ is in a sense just that!

Anyway, during the sermon the pastor said a lot of things, but this got stuck with me (it’s about bringing our life, good and bad, with us into the church and to Jesus, I’m writing on memory here….)

If you leave the sins and the bad stuff outside when you go into the church, you are just going to pick it right up where you left it, when you go home. No, bring the sins and the bad stuff into the church, bring it to Jesus and let him take it away.

This became the important thought of the day to me!
There is no point preaching and talking about the sins in our life, if we not also talks about why and where we can go/what we can do with it. Go to God he promised to forgive because he loves us.

Amen.

Be blessed!

THE GOOD WORD!

I do meet a girl at 5 or 6 years on a regular basis.

She makes me happy - she meets me with her good words!

How nice that sweater is, wow, those earrings are beautiful, Your hair looks so nice today!

I wonder if she knows how much I appreciate these words; I try to smile and say to her: Thank you so much, that is so nice of you to say. Now I’m glad.

I’m not just happy on my own behalf, I’m happy for her - because she has already learned how to use those good words. And then she challenges me, now it’s my turn to use good words and be thankful for everything I have gotten in stead of frustrated about those things that doesn’t work or I don’t like!

It is possible to practice the good word thing. After a while you will find that it’s not only they you say those good words to that becomes happy; you will make yourself feel good as well. That’s the secret about saying the good words. I wonder if the girl have discovered this as well?!

God has lots of good thoughts for us. Did you hear it? God has lots of good thoughts for us. Rest in that. In Psalm 40:1(2)-5(6) you can find that God thinks good about us. He wants to help and be there for us!

I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust,
who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.
Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done.
The things you planned for us no one can recount to you;
were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.

Let him drag you from the mud, let him show you what grace and love are all about. Let his blessing sink in.

The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

In this blessing I find some of Gods most beautiful thoughts for us. He looks upon us; not over, not away - but upon! He looks at us with kind, loving eyes and wishes the best for us. Because he knows life has many challenges for us to handle, he softly brushes our cheek and says: I’m here for you. I love you!