Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

I am convinced God, the Almighty whatever name you chose to call “The Higher Power” created marriage for only one reason — to teach one another how to love.  Each human is very much flawed.

And we are all sinners.  The vows say for better or worse for a reason.  Sometimes we get sick.  And each of us know we will not make it out alive in this world.

Each person is flawed.  A marriage exposes those flaws you possess to your fellow partner.  And somehow you need to work out your differences.  Forgiveness is the glue that makes it all work.  If you don’t forgive your mate at the end of the day, bitterness sets in.

We need a clean slate at the beginning of each day.  Learning to love one unconditionally frees the other.  A marriage forces you to learn how to love properly another human being.  And tests us like nothing else.

Sure, God created Eve for Adam was alone but nevertheless they both were very flawed when they came out of the Garden.  Both of them now faced sin (and their very flawed nature).  Marriage forces you to love in a way no other institution does.

Tags: "The Higher Power", Adam and Eve, bitterness, clean slate beginning each day, each human is flawed, for better or worse, forgiveness, forgiveness is the glue, freeing, God, love unconditionally, marriage, marriage vows, teach us how to love, The Almighty, the Garden of Eden, we are all sinners
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Every time I pass a stream or a river I gaze downstream (or upstream).  To me the body of water represents mystery.  If I am on foot I want to see if I spot any fish or other creature in the water.  By car, I am on the outlook for any kind of duck or egret or other bird.  I am always curious what I will see.  There is a marsh nearby and I am always looking for a snowy egret or the much larger great egret there.  I could not believe it when I flushed a blue heron who was drinking the water of the small creek less than an hundred yards from my house.  I face nature with a sense of wonder.  There is always the sense of mystery.  I know the Almighty has instilled that in me and every child has it and far too many lose it.  To view this universe without a sense of awe is a great loss.  With it, you will discover wonders and beauty all around you.  All you have to do is open your eyes with a sense of expectation.

Tags: bird-watching, birds, blue heron, body of water, discover wonders and beauty around you, duck, egret, fish, God, great egret, marsh, mystery, nature, open your eyes, river, sense of awe, sense of expectation, sense of wonder, small creek, snowy egret, stream, The Almighty, this universe, water birds, wildlife
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Joy is gratitude.  It is looking at your life and every aspect of it and thanking the Lord for every simple thing He has given you.  Sometimes it is others you need to give a simple “thank you”.  God works through other people all the time.  Don’t take any gift you have for granted.  As well as all the simple pleasures that come your way.  Joy is gratitude and thanking the Lord for the simplest gifts He has given you.  He has given your life.  And every morning you wake up you need to thank Him for every breath you take.  Get in the habit of thanking others and the Almighty for every single gift.  Life is composed of myriad details.  And prayerfully thank someone for every detail of your life–every pleasure-every thing.  He does not owe you anything.  And He usually gives us abundance.  Don’t be an ungrateful taker.  Thank Him for every detail of your life.  Joy will always follow gratitude.

Tags: abundance, be grateful, every breath, gifts, God, gratutude, joy, joy is gratitude, Lord, prayer, simple gifts, take for granted, thank Him, thank the Lord, thank-you, thanking others, The Almighty, your life
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‘The poor man thinks money will buy his happiness, the rich man knows it won’t.’  The first time I heard that said it was my pastor (and friend) who told me that.  I am sure it was not his original words.  It is true when you are struggling to pay your bills it is a common illusion.  And not being able to put food on your table is certainly anxiety provoking.  Money can’t replace your sense of purpose.  It is true sometimes your job is a good fit.

You always wonder how it would be not to worry about money.  King Solomon was the richest man in the world, had it all, lacked for nothing and all he could say in the book he wrote was, ‘Vanity, everything is vanity.’  Riches can not buy peace of mind.  If you read Ecclesiastes, the book he is credited with writing in the Bible, and do not read the ending; you miss the whole point.  In it he said the beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord.  Every person needs a relationship with the Almighty.  It all come down to that.  Money never satisfies.  Ask the billionaire who can buy anything whether money can buy him happiness.  I think you know the answer.

Tags: "vanity everything is vanity", anxiety, beginning of wisdom, Bible, billionaire, Ecclesiastes, fear of the Lord, God, King Solomon, money, money can't buy happiness, pastor, pay your bills, peace of mind, poor man, put food on the table, rich man, riches, sense of purpose, The Almighty, the Lord, wisdom
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Life is, indeed, very precious.  It is a paradox:  our life is one drop of water in the vast ocean yet the Almighty cares and knows about you.  So much trouble is caused by individuals who feel impotent, that their life does not matter, that they (???) been passed by, that they have no control of the forces beyond them.

God cares about you.  The world does not revolve around you.  Nevertheless, every life matters.  ‘Every hair on your head is numbered’.  These words from the bible remind you that the Almighty cares about every aspect of your life.

Every life is precious.  This realization forces you to treat yourself (and others) kindly.  If your life matters then you have to act as if it does and find the calling you have been endowed with.

Every person is a snowflake.  Only you can do what God has set upon you to perform.  No one can tell you what it is but it all starts with the realization God cares about you.  You matter.

Tags: "every hair on your head is numbered", Bible, every life matters, feel they have no control, find your calling, God, God cares about you, life is precious, life matters, The Almighty, treat others kindly, world does not revolve around you, you matter
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‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…’ is the opening lines of the Psalm King David wrote (the twenty-third Psalm).  Know when you are struggling, He will never forsake you.  Humans might, but not The Almighty.

Repeat those lines over and over even when you feel out of control and there is no hope.  Cling to those words until they become saturated in every corner of your being.

Know He will take care of your every need, know He will not forsake you even in your darkest hour.  By all means read the rest of that psalm.  Just know he will fill every need you have and will never forsake you even when others let you down.

We are all imperfect and flawed.  ‘The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.’  If that is all you have, that is all you need.  Never lose sight He cares about every thing you do and say.

He is always at your side.  Never lose sight of that.  And make sure you do not fight your fight alone for others will pick you up when you slip and fall.

So find a body in a church you are comfortable with.  You have to make yourself accountable to others.  It matters.  Another person can pick you up when you fall.  And we all do.  And God works through others.

Tags: accountable to others, Bible, church, cling to those words, do not fight alone, God works through others, He cares about you, He is always at your side, He will never forsake you, He will take care of every need, I shall not want, King David, let others help you, others pick you up, people let you down, Psalm 23, slip and fall, The Almighty, The Lord is my Shepherd, there is no hope, we are flawed, we are imperfect, your darkest hour
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Why you should not count the days until…  You miss too much.  You can’t focus on the now.  You can but you have to be very careful you do not lose the moment, what is happening right in front of you.

Your best times are always now so look around, pay attention.  Enjoy your present situation.  It will only come once.  Then it is gone forever.

Don’t be like the ostrich whose neck is buried in the ground.  Soak in the present moment fully.  If you want to visualize a better future fine but don’t miss the present.  You may find out the future you have put off never comes.  So don’t count your days until…

The best time of your life is now.  Thank the Lord for today.  It is all you have.  You have to thank the Almighty for every breath He gives you and not take your days for granted.

Tags: best times, don't count the days, enjoy, every breath, focus on the now, future, God, look around, lose the moment, neck buried in the ground, ostrich, pay attention, right in front of you, take your days for granted, thank the Lord, The Almighty, the present, this moment, today is all you have, your life
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I was lying in bed and thinking as I was trying to fall asleep.  I must thank the Lord for everything–even this comfortable bed and pillows I am resting my head on.

Everything Is by grace.  There is no way around that.  You can think otherwise but it is futile.  You can rail how unfair life is but that is futile, too.

Less is always more.  And God does not owe us anything and everything we have is by the grace of God.  Life is never fair:  some people have more and some people have less.  The poor are always among us.  The war on poverty–a campaign by Lyndon Johnson, the president of the United States, in the late sixties was a failure.

It is true each person has to help the other in any way you can but the poor will always be among us.  Blessed are the poor in spirit.  Being poor sometimes forces us to rely on God for our provisions.  Money can insulate us from God.

There is the illusion we can provide for ourselves when we have enough money but that is only an illusion.  We need one another.  No man is an island, the famous words of John Donne.

It is far easier to lead your life with thankfulness.  Gratitude is a blessing and each person needs to reach out to others in any way they can.  In fact, in the Bible it say that if it is in your power to help someone and do not you have committed a sin.

I have to count my blessings each day.  My wife is only here by serendipity.  My attitude of thankfulness for the provisions of the Almighty gives me grace that I can not earn.  And everything is by grace.

Tags: attitude of thankfulness, bed and pillows, Bible, blessed, blessed are the poor in spirit, count my blessings, everything-is-by-grace, God, God does not owe us anything, God's Word, grace of God, gratitude, help others, John Donne, less is more, life is not fair, life-is-unfair, Lyndon Johnson, money, my wife, no man is an island, poor, poverty, president, provisions, reach out to others, rely on God, serendipity, sin, sleep, thank the Lord, thank the Lord for everything, thankful, The Almighty, the Lord, the poor always among us, war on poverty
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Your faith does not become faith until you are tested by the crucible of fire. Until then, it is mere words that you have uttered–nothing more.

Problems are what define you. The test of a good company is not when things are going right but when problems emerge. Similarly it is easy to espouse faith in God and his ability to take care of you when your health is fine and the rest of your life is going smoothly.

When problems emerge that appear impossible to solve or get past, then your faith gets tested. Then you truly find out what you are made of.

Faith always needs to be tested. Then you find out the fiber of your character. Being under fire is what refines you–not your words in what you believe to be true of the character of the Almighty. Faith when your back is against the wall and disaster strikes, that is when you find out what you honestly believe. Words are cheap.

Our faith is in things unseen. Meeting the challenges and difficulties of life is what defines you. Faith is only strengthened by fire. Either you grow or you fall apart. Then you know the extent of your faith in God and also His promises. Faith is never obtained cheaply: there is always a price to pay.

Tags: challenges of life, crucible of fire, faith, faith gets tested, faith in God, faith in things unseen, faith refined, God, God's promises, problems define you, tested, The Almighty, what you believe, your character
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Love is everything.  Strip away everything from you–all your material wealth, your health.  That is all that remains–love.  And some people are so stingy with it.  You can not run out of love.

It comes from the Source–a bottomless pit known as the Almighty.  He never runs out of love to give.  If you continually tap the source, you will never run out of love.  There is not an finite amount.

Never give up a chance to love another.  This world is full of people who are starving for love, people who never had an ear to listen.

Never walk away when you could have given something valuable to another.  That is all any person remembers–how much they were loved by you.

It really does not matter how much money you made, or how many things you accumulated.  People always respond to genuineness–honesty and kindness.  That is all they remember from you.

You can never have too many friends or ever turn down a chance to make another friend.

That is all that remains when everything is stripped from you–love.  That is all people respond to and remember.  Love.  So be careless.  Scatter your love like Johnny Appleseed did his seeds all over the country.

Tags: friends, God, honesty, Johnny Appleseed, kindness, love, love is everything, never run out of love, starving for love, The Almighty
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You can never run out of love.  You can become drained, physically tired and feel as if you have nothing more to give but those things are under your control.

The well to draw from is infinite.  Love is God.  As long as you continue to tap the source you will never run out of love to give to others.  The powers of the Almighty have no restraints.

I have to qualify that.  Jesus, God, Jehovah however you want to call Him gives us free will.  And that means sometimes our ability to love others is blocked.  But you can always return to the source.  It is always your choice.

There is no one way.  There is but there isn’t.  View your salvation with fear and trembling.  Those words straight out of the Bible indicate not one person can tell you exactly how to find the Master (and follow His will).

So many people try.  It is futile.  Somehow you need to listen to that tiny voice only you can hear.  Love is infinite.  And the Source’s powers are infinite so draw upon them.  Listen to your tiny voice so easily buried.

Humans are masters of deception.  I am not telling you what to believe but to seek Him.  He is the only source of true strength.  The only bottomless well to draw love from.  So seek Him.  You will never run out of love.

Tags: Bible, bottomless well, follow His will, free will, God, God is Love, infinite, Jehovah, Jesus, listen to your tiny voice, love, love is infinite, Master, return to the Source, salvation, seek Him, Source of true strength, The Almighty, true strength, view your salvation with fear and trembling
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If you want to cheat death, don’t worry about your life.  Take the place in the universe God Has given you.

Do what you are commanded to do, what the tiny voice inside of you is directing you to do.

Consequences always exist.  Do not be concerned about them.  Sure, take reasonable precautions, but do not let them shackle you.  Your place in the universes is unraveling.  Do not be afraid.

Follow your heart.  Sometimes it may deceive you but always return to the best life has to offer you.  Do not look at other people’s progress.  Looks are always deceiving.

Vibrate to the pulse of your universe.  It is your place.  Do not be concerned of your significance.  When you are fulfilling only the role, the place put on the earth for you there is never shame.

Too many people are trapped by the expectations of others.  Meet yours first and remember each one of us is important to the Almighty.  That is hard to fathom but fulfill the path He is laying out for you.  It is uniquely yours.  And the more you follow it the more your ripples can change the universes.  One person can change the world.  You have to believe you are here for a purpose.  You may not know it but believe you can make a difference.

To believe otherwise is to lead a life of despair.  Act as if you matter.  And you will.

Tags: change the world, death, despair, follow His path, follow your heart, God, here for a purpose, important to the Almighty, life, life of despair, living, make a difference, The Almighty, tiny voice inside you, trapped in expectations of others, you matter, your place in the universe
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